Sojourn
by Adins
Summary: This is the story of the Silver Millennium told through the point of view of Zoisite, one of the Shitennou of Elysion. Follow his journey from the onset of war with the Dark Kingdom through to its harrowing conclusion.
1. Introduction to Sojourn

**INTRODUCTION TO SOJOURN REDUX**

I have a nasty habit of getting ahead of myself when I start to write a fanfic. I don't generally do an outline or conceive of any plot structure. Usually I'll start by coming up with a set piece or two then fill in the blanks around it until it starts to look like a story. With "Sojourn" I knew the general story I wanted to tell: the Silver Millennium story. Obviously the end of the story is already written as we know what happens but instead of working backwards from that I, predictably, started with a set piece, namely Zoisite & Nephrite having a high-seas adventure. From that the story began to write itself day-to-day and chapter-to-chapter. As anyone who followed it knows sometimes those chapters took years to write. My interest in fandom wanes every few months when I begin to think I should focus my efforts on writing original fiction, but I always seem to end up back with the characters I've come to know so well.

I finished "Sojourn" in May of 2011, but I didn't release the final few chapters because I felt the pacing was off and the climax came out of nowhere. I decided that instead of releasing a half-assed epilogue and then going back to do revisions that I would take "Sojourn" down for a week or two and submit the revised version as a finished product. Unfortunately what this means is that if you've been following the story on a chapter-by-chapter basis some things might appear out of thin air and the whole tone of the ending may feel slightly divorced from the rest of the story.

The revisions I've made aren't terribly extensive, but they do change the nature of the storyline. I had originally planned to reconstruct the story as a traditional third-person narrative, but decided to keep it from Zoisite's first-person perspective because I think it would have been a disservice to discard all the time I spent inside his head. What have changed are some details surrounding the Shitennou's gradual shift in loyalties. The stones of the Shitennou in particular play a larger role in the story. They are introduced early and referenced throughout. I also wanted to expand the roles of the Outer Senshi from the original draft, especially Setsuna. I toyed with removing them completely, but I believed their presence, though small, was a necessary element to illustrate that the _whole_ solar system was backing the Earth's inclusion in the Silver Alliance. Setsuna definitely gets the most screen-time out of the outers and her previously hinted-at fondness for Endymion is explored in greater depth.

Beyond that I simply tried to clean up grammatical errors and I rewrote some passages that felt a bit flat. Certain chapters have a bit more meat to them now thanks to added scenes with the Outer Senshi and other characters, but I don't think I outright removed anything. Perhaps the biggest change you'd notice right off the bat is that the Prologue, Interludes and Epilogues with Luna are now written from a third person perspective. I also hoped that the relationship between Endymion and Serenity, while not Zoisite's primary focus, would be shown as a slightly larger part of the overall work. In the end I think the revision works much better as a whole story than what I had before. It was a matter of tying up loose ends and utilizing characters. I'm still not completely content with the presence of the Outer Senshi, but I definitely believe their role in this version of "Sojourn" is more flattering than their one-and-done appearance in the past version.

As I've stated in forum posts I'm hoping that "Sojourn" will form the basis of my own little universe where I can place some more stories. In particular I'm interested in showing the Kunzite/Minako story which was barely touched here. There is plenty more that could be said about the other pairings and I'd very much like to explore a story, perhaps involving some original characters, set before the time of the Dark Kingdom; maybe just Endymion and the Shitennou on a solo adventure.

Anyway, I think you've heard quite enough out of me. If you're a past reader of "Sojourn" I'd invite you to accompany Zoisite on his journey once again. If you're new to the story I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for all the support, especially those who have stuck around since the very beginning. I hope finished product was worth the wait. I'll try to be a bit more punctual next time.

Cheers!

-Adins _(06-18-2011)_

* * *

**ORIGINAL INTRODUCTION TO "SOJOURN"**

Hello all, and thank you for taking an interest in this story that I've been laboring on for years called "Sojourn." I'll try to keep my normally long-winded introduction brief.

This story comprises a lot of ideas and stylistic approaches that I've wanted to work with for quite some time. I've always been attracted to the mythology of Sailor Moon rather than the available, official media releases. Specifically I've always found myself most interested in Endymion and his four Shitennou, their relationships with the Senshi, as well as the overall tapestry of the long-past Silver Millennium. These are characters whose lives span millennia and there is a lot of story there left untold. I really wanted to tell my own, epic version of the Silver Millennium story with my own injection of swashbuckling adventure, pulp romance, and swords & sorcery.

With "Sojourn" I tried to make the story accessible. You won't find altered names, special vocabularies, or notes jotted in the margins explaining some previously unheard-of concept. The story follows the precedent set in the manga in which the Silver Millennium was set in a prehistoric era, the end of which triggered an "evolutionary reset" for several thousand years. In this way I don't have to intertwine historical events which, considering how this story unfolds, serves my purposes well. I take some liberties with geography, but for the most part I try to stick with a Greek naming convention for the places I invent, which are few. Also, as to not get bogged down in details, I don't go into much explanation on the cultures of the other planets unless it suits the story. Mars is really the only planet whose history and culture are explored in any great detail.

The most important introduction to make, however, is that of your guide: the mystical, reserved Shitennou called Zoisite. I was drawn to write this story through his eyes for two reasons: First being my desire to tell the story from the point of view of the people on Earth and second because I so enjoyed the depiction of Zoisite in the live-action (PGSM) version of Sailor Moon. However, I don't consider my story to be part of that canon. In fact, one of my goals was to incorporate as much of the different interpretations of the character as I could. You'll see his loyal, quiet, reflective side from PGSM right alongside his nefarious, underhanded ways of the anime and his eager, almost naive personality of the manga. There are scenes in third-person from other characters that set the stage for future events, but the majority of the story is told through Zoisite's words.

"Sojourn" is broken up into several "acts" joined by interludes. These interludes are told from the point of view of Luna who acts as the audience for Zoisite's story. While Luna speaks in the present tense Zoisite's story can be viewed as almost one large flashback. Contained in that flashback are scenes of high adventure, romance, political struggle, subterfuge, humor, and just about anything else I can come up with that fits. I try tried to structure the story in such a way that every character gets their due, but it is a struggle to maintain balance. I apologize if you feel your favorite senshi/shitennou doesn't get all the face time you would like. Maybe in my next story I'll be able to rectify that! I do hope you enjoy "Sojourn" and I'm always looking for feedback, so feel free to drop me a message.

Enjoy!

-Adins _(10-24-2010)_


	2. Prologue

**Sojourn**

A Work of Sailor Moon Fan Fiction

By Adins

**Prologue**

A solitary figure stood waiting in the cold corridor for nearly an hour with nothing to do but admire the uninviting drab, colorless stone walls. Time after time she folder her arms across her chest, dropped her hands to her sides, and shifted her weight from one foot to the other; she actually began to tire herself by fidgeting. _Were all of Endymion's cohorts so tardy?_ She wondered.

Every nearly-silent breath seemed to echo like cannon fire in the empty hallway. She remained stiff and silent, but confident that there was not another soul within earshot should she decide to indulge in a private tantrum. The thought passed that the slightest noise would seem disrespectful to the austere silence of the crypt-like castle. She had little inkling as to the preciousness of this moment of serenity.

The mighty warlord Kunzite had fallen only hours before she arrived. She was greeted by the pealing of the guard tower bell signaling an emergency. Horses thundered into the courtyard bearing scores of wounded, chief among them the eldest of the so-called Four Heavenly Kings of Elysion. Kunzite's mane of silver-white hair was matted and stained with blood both from his enemies and his own. He was propped limp in the saddle and as the honor guard lifted him from the horse his neck twisted to horrible degrees. Gasps and cries welled up from the peasant crowd of onlookers as the other cavalrymen tried to push back their numbers.

The elder King was spirited away to the innermost keep where they say Endymion himself fell to his knees and wept over his most faithful servant. The healers went to work immediately attempting to mend bone and sinew, though none have heard of their progress. She idly considered that if it were her decision she would have postponed this meeting until either the shock of his death or the elation of his recovery had passed. As chief advisor to Queen Serenity, however, her duty was to confer with the court of the Elysian King. Even the unfortunate fate of such a man as Kunzite must follow after Lady Serenity's command.

Still with nothing to do but sit and wait she began to contemplate, as she had far too often, the war that had reduced much of the Earth to cinders. Her innate gift of foresight often wracked her with visions of fire and lies, premonitions of battles and betrayals to come. Too often she could not even see her own reflection the mirror. Her eyes would become twin burning torches and her flowing violet tresses a plume of smoke over a chaotic battlefield. Even the lunar crest adoring her forehead became little more than the shining blade of a crescent axe howling in its unquenchable bloodlust.

All at once her concentration was broken by the sound of a heavy bolt sliding across a wooden door at the end of that ever-chilling hallway. The door creaked open and the sound echoed and bounced down the corridor like a flock of bats clamoring through a bell tower. An sentinel bearing a halberd twice her height stood behind the door and glowered at her through the thin eye-slits of his winged helm. He stepped to the side, never averting his gaze, as he allowed a second man to pass through the arch into the hallway.

The woman's blood ran cold at the sight of him; not a fear of his size or latent power, but a sinister, crackling sensation at the periphery of her senses that she, with all her years of wisdom could not comprehend. A storm of energy circled about him, shrouding and empowering him. He was a hurricane of emotion and raw power, power that if ever properly harnessed could devastate worlds, perhaps even the Moon itself. He moved towards her and the woman's heart sank to the pit of her chest.

Such a reaction would fit a towering, battle-scarred warrior or a pale-skinned sorcerer garbed in black robes reeking of alchemy, but this was neither of those things. His skin was soft and luminous as though he reflected the moonlight that barely seeped through the arrow-slits in the damp corridor. His dress was that of nobility: a snow-white uniform embroidered with silver thread, clasped by a white leather belt and silver studs about the waist. His hair was a kaleidoscope of colors as he stepped in and out of the moonlight: one moment impossibly silver, the next a vibrant copper but always held in a loose ponytail by a scarlet band. His sheer spider silk cape draped behind him lending its billowing volume to his already commanding presence.

He pulled tightly at one of his white gloves as he approached and bowed at the waist with all the grace and distinction of a king. The shivering woman returned the gesture before he moved ever closer, his dark green eyes piercing into hers like knives. She tried desperately to place her fear, but could not. Neither could she move or speak; her heart screamed that something was gravely wrong with this man, but in order to report to the Queen she had no alternative but to face him.

"Luna." he said in a surprisingly delicate, arguably effeminate voice, "My apologies for my unavoidable detention."

"There is no need to apologize my Lord Zoisite." Luna replied timidly, "No doubt the entire castle is astir with confusion regarding Kunzite's attack."

"Truly." he agreed, "Least of all myself."

Luna nodded in comprehension and silently began to fortify herself for the meeting. Her eyes washed over his imposing figure again just to prove she was not cheated by a spell.

She stood in the presence of one of the four Shitennou: the Heavenly Kings. These men… no, these creatures _beyond_ men, the most powerful, trusted, and feared members of Endymion's court had been the subject of countless tales and romances on the Moon. They felled the greatest foes, fought in the greatest battles, and won the greatest victories in the pale blue planet. They have forever been and forever will be. They are beings outside of time who command unheard of powers; in short an incalculable mystery.

Zoisite began to move, walking as though he strode on nothing more than the damp air itself. Luna followed a pace behind his stride attempting to shield herself from his penetrating gaze. He must have sensed her discomfort as he politely made no effort to restore eye contact. The pair walked slowly in silence before he finally spoke again.

"How fares your Queen?"

Luna knew the question stood only on principle, that the Lord likely had no real use for the knowledge but she answer accordingly, "Very well. She sends her regards and continued support."

"Her support…" he chuckled knowingly, "If only words were legions, Luna. This war would have been won before it began."

"It's not my place to comment on such things." she replied, thoroughly unnerved at his observation.

"No, I suppose not." he replied and whirled around to impale the woman with his gaze once more, "You're here only as her ears; to take back what I tell you for Queen Serenity to dissect at her leisure while Elysian warriors die by the score!"

His shout echoed down the hallway in both directions and hung in the air for some time. Slowly his face which had twisted in contempt relaxed to his soft, sleepy glare. Luna drew in her first breath in many moments and attempted to rationalize her still-growing dread, but to no avail. She scolded herself for her behavior after having stood before powerful warlords without a trace of fear and spoken down razor-tongued diplomats without breaking a sweat. However, the creature before her terrified the young woman to her very core. Nothing on Earth or the Moon would have pleased her more than to be quit of his leering presence.

"Forgive me." Zoisite apologized afterward, "I know you are as powerless as I in these matters and my thoughts are … scattered." There was a look in his eye… Luna thought it could have been regret, but seemed more akin to loneliness.

"It is only natural." She replied wondering if she could ever hope to mask the cowardice in her voice, "I imagine the war places great stress on you."

"This war is nearly through," he explained heavily as they began walking again, "It is what will follow the war that troubles me now."

"What do you mean?"

"We have fought tyrants in the past." the Shitennou continued, "Each time we have emerged victorious, though sometimes at great cost." he sighed heavily and that lonely look returned, "It seems to be an endless cycle of rebellion, resistance, and rebuilding."

"Wherever there is order, chaos will surely strike," Luna offered from one of the Moon Kingdom's sacred philosophies.

"Perhaps." Zoisite agreed with a subtle grin, "This war will end for the good of Elysion or for worse. Afterward there will be survivors who will need to cope with a changed landscape: physical, political, and emotional." he motioned out one of the arrow slits to the green rolling hills beyond, now darkened by black clouds, "After some time the cycle will repeat; more will die, more will be destroyed until at last there remains nothing for either side to lay claim to."

"You believe this is a war over property and possession?" Luna asked incredulously.

"No." Zoisite answered surprising her, "This foe, the Dark Kingdom, is unlike anything we've faced before. They seem to care nothing for resources or riches. Their armies murder and destroy without discretion. They level cities and fortifications that could provide them significant tactical advantages. They burn crops that could easily feed their troops. It is as if they do not make war to gain control, but only to destroy everything in their path."

"How can such barbarism even still exist?" Luna wondered aloud, "This is why Endymion is so desperate for our aid."

"In part, yes." Zoisite replied, "But I believe as my Master believes that the Dark Kingdom would not stop if it consumed Elysion."

"What do you mean?"

"Once there is no resistance left on Earth where will they turn?" Zoisite asked gravely, "If they destroy and murder simply for their own cruel pleasures what will satisfy them once our planet is spent? Surely you can see that?"

Luna staggered as her precognition once again recalled the visions she had previously foreseen. She had felt for some time that this war would not be contained to Earthen soil, but as of yet Queen Serenity had not voiced her concern to the rest of the Silver Alliance. An indescribably evil heart pulsed at the core of the Dark Kingdom's war but the earth stood alone against it. With the prideful worlds of the Silver Alliance mired in politics and debate the Queen could only do so much without engendering a maelstrom of dissent.

"Queen Beryl would not dare strike the Moon!" Luna decided to defiantly declare, though she could not call her sentiment heartfelt.

"Queen Serenity would be very interested to know that Beryl alone does not steer the armies of the Dark Kingdom on their destructive march," Zoisite informed the lunar advisor.

"What?" She gasped.

"We have learned much through all the blood that has been spilled." Zoisite began while sealing his voice in a shroud of ceremonious pomposity, "Listen well so that your Queen may know the nature of this enemy."

"You mean to say that Beryl does not lead the Dark Kingdom?"

Zoisite shakes his head, "It is true that she is a powerful sorceress and the legions address her as 'queen' but after much infiltration and _personal_ strife we have discerned that she is little more than a pawn herself."

"What do you mean?" Luna asked breathlessly, silently pondering Zoisite's stress of the word _personal_.

The Shitennou's answer came in the form of a stone; a terribly _unique_ stone.

"What is this?" she asked regarding the gem.

"Zoisite." He replied cryptically.

The crystal was yellow against the stark white of his uniform glove and flashed a brilliant meadow-green as it rolled and settled into the palm of his hand. It was not exquisitely cut and would likely have been passed by even by the most pedestrian of gem merchants, but Luna felt power coursing off the stone in waves. The pulsating energy seeped off of it like the effluence of a bubbling cauldron. Something began to take hold of her senses and Luna's knees buckled. The entire hallway began to groan and shift as some vile power rushed through her like a chill wind. The world became hazy and indistinct, but through the magical mist she could see Zoisite's eyes crackling with energy. His face had changed. His thoughtful, melancholy gaze was replaced by sneering evil; his lilting voice was now the cackle of a deceitful witch of a man. Zoisite's snow-white uniform had become ash. He balanced a searing ball of fire in one hand and a blade of piercing ice in the other. She heard a howl of laughter that did not issue from the Shitennou's lips, but from some unseen black pit that wanted to pull her down into its endless depths.

Every instinct told her to run, but she was frozen in place. She tried to scream with empty lungs. Her eyes felt dirtied by the perverted images she beheld and her ears burned at the sound of that blasphemous wail of laughter. Then suddenly as quickly as the transformation had begun it was over. The foul, misty energy dissipated and Zoisite's fearsome countenance was replaced by the Shitennou's weary, contemplative stare. Still, Luna backed away frightfully into frigid stone wall of the castle corridor. Her hands ran alone the stone desperately seeking the handle of a door to escape, one she knew wasn't there.

"I am sorry I had to frighten you so." Zoisite said seeming truly remorseful for whatever just happened, "But there really would have been no way to explain."

"What black sorcery is this?" Luna gasped.

"It is the evil of all men." Zoisite replied with a shrug followed by a defeated sigh, "The Dark Kingdom is no rogue army of revolutionaries. The twisted creatures, the _youma_ that populate their ranks were once men ranging from simple peasants to the mightiest kings. Some were landowners, farmers, and noblemen."

"I don't understand!"

"The Dark Kingdom was created by _us!_" Zoisite exclaimed, "The impenetrable evil at its core lives and breathes only because we allow it to. It feeds off the vices that men are prey to: our envy, greed, jealousy and pride."

Zoisite moved ever closer to Luna as he spoke and his words rang through the secluded corridor. He moved his face so close to hers that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. His steady breath flowed through his nostrils across her chest and her heart raced like a gale wind. In a moment she could feel his power and she understood his struggle.

"You are becoming one of these creatures?" Luna gasped knowingly.

"Not even we, the Shitennou, are free of vice," Zoisite said unsteadily, "This stone was a gift from the Dark Kingdom; one that my brothers were all too eager to accept."

"A gift?" She asked perplexed.

"A gift, supposedly, to bring order to chaos." Zoisite almost laughed, "The Dark Kingdom believes they are scourging rebellion and dissent from the earth. Beryl wants to carve a powerful civilization and then crystallize it, forever unchanging." He studied the stone in his palm for a moment, "To some of us the prospect sounded… logical."

"There is no logic in betrayal!" Luna snapped at the Shitennou.

Zoisite pointed with his index finger and the tip came to rest on Luna's solar plexus. A cold chill washed over her at his touch as if all the blood had fled her veins. Her eyes filled with the lunar landscape and she saw the palace of the Silver Millennium lying in smoking ruin. Bodies of soldiers and citizens lay strewn about a blood soaked battlefield. Most terrifying of all she saw the light of the sun reflected of the blade of a sword driven through the heart of Queen Serenity herself. Tearful, shocked eyes stared accusatorily at her frozen in their last moment of sight. Luna felt the weight of the blade in her hand and her own muscles defying her as her mouth twisted into a perverse satisfied grin.

"NO!" she screamed and thrashed away from Zoisite's grasp.

Luna turned to run, but tripped over the length of her dress. She feebly tried to get back on her feet as the image of Serenity's lifeless body, now permanently etched into her mind assaulted her. She could think only of escape; to get away and warn the Queen of the foul atrocities being committed even within the grounds of the Golden City of Elysion. She fumbled again and two strong hands caught her from behind and pulled her to her feet.

Zoisite gently lifted her off the ground and onto a nearby wooden bench. Luna wrapped her arms around herself shivering in fear as the horrible visions returned again. The Shitennou frowned, stepped away, and raised his hands as an indication that he would keep his distance.

"Know that what you saw is not something I fabricated through sorcery." he said which does not help to put the woman at ease, "It is what lies deep in your heart."

"I could never conceive of such betrayal!" she growled defiantly.

"No, I doubt you could." Zoisite agreed with a smile, "But there is always the possibility. This is what the Dark Kingdom preys upon. It is why so many of our own have abandoned Elysion and allied themselves with Beryl and her minions."

"How do you know of this?" Luna asked still shaking somewhat.

"Because I have watched everyone I love answer the call of darkness." he confessed "And I struggle with it constantly. Two of the Shtiennou have already been overcome by the Dark Kingdom's oppressive taint. Kunzite may not last the night and Endy—" Zoisite bites his tongue as the word is tinged with bitterness, "My King's thoughts are elsewhere."

The knowing gaze is not lost on Luna who only shakes her head in silent recognition of the accusation.

"Why show me these things?" She asked instead, "Why tell me this?"

Zoisite's eyes softened and suddenly she beheld a light piercing through the darkness that had surrounded him since he first walked into that dark corridor. It was a faint glimmer like the final vibrant wisp of flame from a dying candle. She could not help but feel somewhat relieved by its presence. Finally she understood in full what was so mysterious about this man from the start. He spoke even as the light began to fade.

"I tell you this so that you can tell others." he explains, "To save themselves from the grim fate that awaits me and my brethren."

"How?" I ask, now desperate to understand, "What do I tell them?

Zoisite's eyes wandered to one of the many arrow slits and the landscape beyond as he leaned against the stone wall to begin his story.


	3. Chapter 1, A Discourteous Engagement

**ONE**

**A Discourteous Engagement**

"I have never been a proponent of open war, Luna." I begin as the lunar guardian uneasily settles into her seat, "My skills have always been best served in a diplomatic setting though I have had to uphold my honor in combat many times."

The story begins some months ago when the Dark Kingdom was still secluded in the lawless mountain regions surrounding Elysion. For weeks Prince Endymion was bombarded with pleas for aid from some of our small, outlying villages. They spoke of demons sacking their towns, destroying their homes, and killing everyone in their path from women to children to livestock. My heart grieved for the Prince as I knew he desperately wanted to help, but our resources have been greatly taxed these past years after recovering from the costly political battles with the Silver Alliance.

As always I was at Endymion's call when he needed guidance. This is the primary function of the Shitennou, you see. Many smaller kingdoms and the various member planets of the Alliance boast advisors and counselors to their regent lords but our relationship with the Prince runs far deeper. There is a bond that we share that I don't know if I could easily explain. It is perhaps born of the trust he placed in each of us to watch over the four corners of the earth. We are gifted great power at the cost of our mortality. Some consider this a blessing; others could say it is a great curse. Truth be told I've not yet made my decision as to the nature of my longevity. I may appear a youthful man to your eyes but in fact I've aged lifetimes.

We are bound to Endymion and to the Earth. We are as unchanging as the world itself. At all times we feel the mother earth's essence flowing through us. Endymion chief among us all can sense the ebb and flow of the planet's power. We are connected, the Shitennou, Endymion, and the Earth. It is a very strange, very old connection. I'm sorry I can't explain with greater clarity. Simply understand that it is the great gift of our Master. Should our mortal bodies perish either by time or by the sword we would live on, allowed to continue our great work and watch over the planet from afar. Perhaps this will become clearer to you as I continue.

I had sensed the coming of the Dark Kingdom, as did we all, but we scarcely knew what to expect. The first attacks were menial raids on our border regions as I said, but all too quickly the Dark Kingdom's forces increased their tenacity and their daring. At first we believed them to be little more than raiders and pillagers, but as the army swept south its numbers began to swell. Town after town fell and many were slaughtered, but those who managed to escape the cruel blades of the Dark Kingdom came to side with their assailants.

Word began to reach us of a dark intrigue seeping across the land. Farmers and merchants began gathering their life's savings to support the Dark Kingdom's war effort. Tributes were paid to their generals as word spread of a previously impenetrable secret held among only the ranks of the Shitennou and Endymion himself.

The Prince had taken Princess Serenity of the Silver Millennium as his lover.

I'm sure I don't need to remind you of the, shall we say, abrasive relationship between the Earth and the Moon. When mankind was still in its infancy our ancestors worshipped the Moon and the ageless creatures who lived there as gods. The Moon was our vigilant protector and guided early man down the path of enlightenment, but as you know those sentiments grew sour as our ancestors began to resent the Moon's one-sided monitoring of the Earth. With the discovery that the Earth had been excluded from the Silver Alliance for centuries due to its perceived nature as a lawless barbarian world awe and reverence turned to hatred almost overnight.

It has been many years, but still the relationship between the Earth and the rest of the solar system remains icy. Some on Earth still practice the old ways and cults of Moon-worship have persisted, but their members are widely reviled as heretics and sympathizers. How the Dark Kingdom learned of Endymion's so-called indiscretions with your Princess I still do not know, but it has been a powerful weapon in their effort to turn our own citizens against us. The Dark Kingdom has played upon people's distrust of the Silver Millennium and the Alliance. To them, Endymion is a traitor; little more than a soft-hearted idealist under the sway of the Moon Queen herself.

And so the Dark Kingdom has spread and their attacks became more vicious and focused. We have faced skirmishes on the borders since Elysion's inception but the first formal act of war came only a few weeks ago when reports began to reach us from the coastal ports of merchant ships being torn apart in open water by a fleet of vessels flying the Dark Kingdom's bleak colors.

Endymion ordered the fleet destroyed and blockades placed around the most vulnerable ports. For this he dispatched one of the finest naval commanders in the Kingdom: my fellow Shitennou, Nephrite. Perhaps we should begin with that fateful voyage as it was the first time I stared into the maw of darkness and watched as it consumed one of my compatriots.

I have never been comfortable at sea. I prefer dry land as it is closer to my way of thinking than rolling waves. Solid earth is stoic and still. It rarely changes but for the acts of men. The ocean on the other hand is roiling and untamable. It is as unpredictable as a storm. Perhaps that is why Nephrite finds himself at home on open water.

I have known Nephrite for as long as I have known myself. We both bear the sacred charge of the Shitennou. Yet even as I know the man as fully as anyone could hope I am constantly surprised by his ever changing philosophies on life and our purpose in the world. Of piloting and naval strategy he is something of a genius, though an unorthodox one. For years mariners have enjoyed the so-called luxuries of sextants and compasses to chart courses across the great seas and yet Nephrite shuns all but the most primitive forms of navigation. He looks to the stars to guide him as sailors of ages long past had before we knew of latitude and longitude.

His crews are stalwart and brave. The Shitennou carries himself with an air of command and distinction that rivals Endymion's. He is a hardened sailor and equally as hardened a warrior. From what little I remember of our early days together I had always known Nephrite to be fast on the draw; to readily take up his sword to end a dispute even when diplomacy could prevail. He is not a violent man by rights but he is quick to anger and quicker to act. He acts predominantly on impulse where others such as myself might spend more time weighing options. I know for a fact that Nephrite's brash demeanor has him constantly at odds with Jadeite.

Of the youngest Shitennou I have little to say at the moment. Know that Jadeite is every bit as valuable to the kingdom as any of us, sometimes even more so. He is young but his wisdom astounds me time and time again. Where Nephrite favors action, Jadeite favors analysis. If Jadeite had been a musician he would have constructed the most intricate and flawless melodies ever to reach man's ears. He has an uncanny ability to intuitively understand every side of every engagement and plan accordingly. He is a brilliant strategist as well as a master of many magical and mechanical arts.

Chiefly, however, he is the face and voice of the Shitennou. Children look up to him, women swoon over him, and men fashion themselves after him. Perhaps it's something in his youthful appearance or his willingness to indulge in the lives of Elysion's lower classes that draws crowds to him. All the Prince knows is that Jadeite can instantly calm a panicked mass with no more than a few words and an easy smile.

Forgive me for straying. It was five weeks ago aboard Nephrite's flagship, _Gemini_ that my harrowing sojourn began …

I awoke from my uneasy slumber with the sound of thunder crashing in my ears. As my eyes adjusted to the gloomy and damp cabin I realized that the peals were actually waves breaking against the hull of the ship. My sleep thoroughly destroyed, I lifted myself out of the rather uncomfortable cot onto wobbly legs. I have never been a friend to the sea and I can never seem to find my balance on the constantly pitching and yawing vessels I'm sometimes forced to ride. I quickly slip into a pair of leather pants and a loose cotton shirt before summoning a light to better find my bearings.

The air in the small cabin is thick and reeks of brine immediately setting pressure on my temples. A headache is one of the unavoidable consequences of my infrequent trips to sea. I quickly located the high-topped boots I save for what I call "wet work" and grabbed my short saber and belt from my bed table before turning the latch on my cabin door. I stumbled out into the crew quarters of the ship where a dozen or more sailors were hanging asleep in parallel hammocks. Their snores and coughs mingled with waves thrashing at the waterline to create a cacophony that I'm surprised any man could sleep through.

Even though the noise level was high in the bowels of the vessel I made my way across the wooden floor quietly, tying my belt around the tails of my shirt and attaching my weapon in the same movement. I hurried up the stairs that switched back on themselves before emerging on the deck of the ship. The cloud fettered moonlight leaked over the vessel like a fog barely illuminating the impressively tall twin masts and the proliferation of sails that drove us forward with the wind. I'm a meticulous man by nature and yet I'm always impressed at the intimacy by which sailors, particularly on Nephrite's vessels, know the sail riggings.

I nodded at two seamen engaged in scrubbing the wooden planks of the deck as I made my way starboard. Along one of the ornate rails at the ship's edge I found my fellow Shitennou standing with his back to the vessel appearing lost in thought at first glance. His arms were crossed across his chest and he wore an impassive, almost sour expression as I approached. His eyes were fixed straight ahead across the darkness of the ocean no more than a yard in front of him. I glanced upward and noted the ribbons of dark clouds darkening the sky as I stepped up to the railing beside Nephrite.

"When the clouds block the stars I've got nothing to sail by but my eyes alone." he told me in his raspy, well-worn voice.

"It seems to me you'd do better to watch the water in front of the ship."

"You see?" he asked with a knowing grin, "That's exactly why you could never be a sailor, Zoisite. You think too linearly."

"I don't follow."

"The wind can change direction at any time." he explained, pointing up at the billowing canvas sails, "You have to know what lies on all sides."

"A tireless vigil, no doubt." I joked, "Or can you simply not sleep either?"

"No," he replied, shaking his head with a chuckle, "I never could sleep at sea."

"Let me guess …"

"I always feel like I'm going to miss something." Nephrite answered before I could finish my sentence, which was pretty much what I was thinking.

"Why did you agree to come out here?" Nephrite asked suddenly.

"Master Endymion wanted me to accompany you." I replied without hesitation.

"We know very well that Master Endymion did not order you to come aboard." he reminded me, "So that means you decided to of your own volition."

"My reasons are sound." I reassured him and subtly bit my lower lip in contemplation, "I felt I should be here."

"Strange." Nephrite said raising an eyebrow and glancing up at the parting clouds and the stars beyond, "So do I."

The conversation was broken by a low pitched scream, more of a groan, emanating from across the black water. Nephrite's spine immediately stiffened and when he turned he did so with military precision. A man rushed to his side: a short, scrawny creature with thin black hair and a blunderbuss strapped to his side that was nearly as long as his arm. He held out a telescoping looking glass which Nephrite snatched and immediately made use of.

"Hello out there!" I heard the voice hear clearer, "Bear a hand, aye?"

Nephrite snapped the telescope shut and his voice boomed across the ship, "Vessel in distress! All hands make ready to assist!"

Suddenly the deck shuddered with trampling feet as the whole crew appeared one after the other out of their quarters as if they hadn't just been fast asleep. They moved to their stations swiftly and without ceremony awaiting the next order from their captain. All at once the ship was alive with half a dozen people moving at a time, pulleys creaking and sails flapping.

"Bring us around, broad on the quarter!" Nephrite ordered, "Lively now, men!"

The _Gemini_ turned into the wind and the ship came up alongside a much smaller vessel from whence the cry of alarm came. An elderly looking sailor stood at the bow of the smaller merchant ship waving his arm frantically at our massive brig. His boat, no more than thirty feet long with a single mast, was half submerged, seemingly split down the center. Crates and barrels floated freely around the wrecked vessel.

"Saints be praised!" he cried up at us, "They came at us out of nowhere!"

"Grapples!" Nephrite shouted, "Get aboard, men! Find any survivors and get them back here on the double!"

Immediately a group of sailors rushed to the edge of the boat where I still stood and began flinging grappling hooks over the side to catch on the half sunken merchant vessel. The experienced sailors repelled down the taut rope where they began combing through the broken and sinking wreckage of the ship. The old man in the bow stumbled his way into one of the sailors and attempted to begin climbing the rope.

My eyes wandered off from the sorry vessel to the dark ocean beyond. Just as I had lifted my head I saw it: a faint glimmer beyond the sinking ship. It appeared as little more than a red spark that anyone not looking for it would have passed over. I was suddenly filled with dread and the shadowy outline of a large vessel operating with no burning lamps appeared before me. The dark wood of the ship blended almost perfectly with the lightless night and only the weak reflection of the few stars that broke the clouds hinted at its position. My hand shot to my saber and I turned to my companion.

"Nephrite!" I shouted.

He registered the fear in my voice immediately and his eyes followed mine out into the dark water. His eyes doubled in size and he threw his body across the ship's railing, screaming for all he was worth.

"Sailors, back to the _Gemini_!"

The elderly man who was rescued from his sinking vessel suddenly stopped shivering on the deck and glanced at Nephrite. His face twisted into a sickening, fanged sneer as his pale, wet skin became dark black leathery hide. His eyes bulged and exploded in red flame as the seemingly simple merchant sailor became a hideous creature of shadow and sinew before my eyes: a youma, the unholy creatures of the Dark Kingdom.

Cannon fire followed immediately thereafter and a single ball smashed into the half-sunken vessel and a tremendous explosion ripped through the ship. At that moment I realized the trap: no doubt the free-floating crates and barrels were full of flammable oils and black powder, a terrible ruse executed with ruthless efficiency. The force of the explosion knocked me off my feet and the _Gemini_ groaned against the shock. The leather skinned demon meanwhile had Neprhite pinned to the ship's center mast. He struggled against the beast but it was surprisingly agile and powerful and my companion was never able to reach his cutlass.

Only the timely intervention of the small man with the large hand-cannon saved Nephrite from the claws of the beast. He unloaded the bell-shaped barrel of the firearm into the creature's side and it let out a pained howl before dropping on all fours and leaping over the side of the boat to the crushing, freezing ocean below. The scrawny man helped Nephrite to his feet and replaced the blunderbuss on his belt.

"Mister Skinner." Nephrite ordered through gritted teeth, "Find me that ship!"

The silent man nodded and quickly made his way to the helm where two other sailors stood and began conversing with them. I pulled myself off the cold deck only to see that the shadowy vessel I'd spotted was now nowhere to be seen. I clutched my aching elbow which had taken my full weight when I fell and moved to Nephrite's side. He spun around, catching me off guard, and latched onto my gaze with a fury I'd seldom seen.

"Why didn't you say something sooner?" he demanded.

Taken aback I replied, "I only saw the ship just now."

"I lost at least eight honest sailors to whoever's vicious trap we sprung." Nephrite growled from his throat, "Your foresight would have done them well!"

Insulted that a fellow Shitennou would call my power into question I replied, "You know I don't choose what things are shown to me. There was no way I could have known what we were getting into."

Nephrite frowned and looked away over the bow at the scarred hull of his flagship. The explosion had left small pockmarks along much of the ship's length but there was no major structural damage. The vessel immediately turned towards the area where the hidden ship was first seen. Nephrite did not approach the helm, he only stood motionless at the very fore of the _Gemini_ scanning the dark waters.

Now what you must understand about Nephrite is he is a man of action. I said before that he is prone to acting on impulse, but on his ship when the lives of his men are at stake that trait is amplified a hundred fold. I knew from the instant our phantom assailants fired their dreadful cannons that Nephrite was already planning to strike back. What I didn't know was how far his revenge would take him, how changed my companion would be when we finally returned to port, and the dark, fiendish places his own personal voyage would take him.

"Eight men just died needlessly and without honor." Nephrite said as he scanned the ocean and I saw his complexion noticeably darken, "I will consider this discourteous engagement an act of war."


	4. Chapter 2, Mystery of the Celeste

**TWO**

**Mystery of the Celeste**

Nephrite ruthlessly hunted the shadowy vessel for two days and their accompanying, restless nights. The mast hands were worked to the bone constantly setting and furling sails against rough winds and high ocean chop. As was his custom Nephrite roused the crew every morning with an attack drill: readying the broadside cannons and rehearsing for an inevitable engagement. Afterwards he held his routine inspection of each of his score of sailors. He was not so interested in dress and attire as he was of the men's mental acuity and preparedness for battle. If a ship mate's cutlass showed even the slightest hint of a dull edge it could send Nephrite into a fit.

It came as no surprise then that when the naval Shitennou failed to appear on deck for the third morning's inspections that the crew was set on edge. I had watched him closely since the dreadful sneak attack that instigated this hunt and how he had steadily drawn inward, attempting to reign in his emotions and hide his burning rage from the eyes of his crew.

I moved methodically across the deck of the _Gemini_ until I reached the captain's private cabin at the stern of the imposing vessel. I didn't bother knocking as I could sense my fellow Shitennou's presence within. I found Nephrite sitting behind his desk with a proliferation of maps and charts strewn about the room in a circle around him. His hands were clenched at his temples and his head was bowed down almost to the surface of the desk he was hunched so far forward. I approached cautiously on wobbly legs as the ship rolled beneath me, attempting not to disturb his parchments littering the deck.

"Nephrite?" I asked, wondering if he would reply as we hadn't spoken since that tragic night's attack.

"Zoisite." he sighed back to me and raised his head to reveal his weary, bloodshot eyes and developing beard stubble, "I am sorry."

"Sorry?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"For what I said on deck to you after the attack." he clarified, "It was an honorless, cowardly outburst and I was looking for a scapegoat to justify the deaths of my sailors." he took in a heavy breath, "It is not a Shitennou's place to call brothers-in-arms into question."

"No lasting harm was done." I assured him and stepped beside him to read over his shoulder at the plethora of maps, "Are you trying to ascertain where the enemy ship makes its berth?"

"Yes." he replied, "But from the brief outline we saw through the shadows it looked to be a stately vessel, likely capable of extended range making the search that much more difficult. Its port of refuge could literally be anywhere."

"It could be a pirate vessel." I offered, "If they subsist on plunder they may not have an anchorage at all. Perhaps we should patrol the shipping lanes?"

"Perhaps." Nephrite mumbled uninspired, "But you and I both know this was no pirate's trick."

I pondered this reality for a moment before hazarding my next statement: "Your men are worried that you didn't appear for inspections this morning."

"Do you mean to imply that my men _require_ my constant badgering like an overprotective mother?" Nephrite asked without looking in my direction.

"No." I bit back, "I was led to believe it was more or less a tradition."

"Some traditions are meant to be broken." he replied dryly.

"Nephrite," I said, almost whispering, "I am worried about you."

"Why?"

"I've been watching you drift further and further away from your crew." I began, "You are known throughout the kingdom as a sailor's captain, a man who values his crew as his own family and they've seen neither hide nor hair of you today!"

"The crew doesn't need to see me every waking moment of every day to know I am here and in command." Nephrite snapped back at me abruptly, "They need to hear my voice and follow my orders and that is all!"

"No, that is not your true stance." I chastised him, "This callous demeanor only shows itself when you are troubled, Nephrite. I know you far too well for such a ruse to work on me."

"Was there a point in your coming here?" he asked grudgingly, "The last time I checked I refused the opportunity to appoint a ship's counselor."

I moved closer to him and laid a hand on the map, forcing a quill from his grip and speaking, "You carry the weight of those lost, unfortunate sailors on your shoulders and it's weighing down this ship."

"Zoisite, don't—"

I interrupted him, "There is nothing you could have done to save them."

Nephrite's eyes burned into mine for a moment before he slammed his fist on the desk and threw himself from his chair, sending it crashing to the deck. He began to pace around his cabin running his hands through his hair and deftly attempting to straighten his unkempt cotton shirt.

"I can see them, Zoisite." he began in a quiet voice, irregular for the bellowing captain, "I know each of their faces, frozen in that horrible moment as the sea turned to fire beneath them."

"Nephrite …" I tried to calm him.

"I can see their eyes clearly through the fog, smoke, and flame." he continued oblivious to my presence, "The looked to me as if I had betrayed them as I stood safely on the _Gemini's_ deck even as their souls were torn from their bodies. They- they died for _me_…"

Nephrite clenched his eyes closed and let out a savage cry as his hands darted for the closest object: an oak table holding a bottle of rum and several glasses. His rage overflowed as he took hold of the table and threw it with all his power across the cabin where it shattered against the wall, smashing the glassware and felling a hanging portrait of Endymion as well.

"I should have known! I should have seen!" the raving Shitennou roared, "I should have been with them! My crew serves me unflinchingly and I sent them to a meaningless death as their reward!"

"You can't possibly lead every attack and every search party yourself, Nephrite!" I attempted to bring him back to reality.

"Why not?" he rebuked me, "Am I not a Shitennou? Am I not one of the Heavenly Kings of Elysion? It is not within my power to lay waste to entire nations, to scourge the oceans of piracy and marauders single handedly?"

"How could even indulge such thoughts?" I asked on the verge of disgust, "There are unfortunate times when we must engage in battle but the Shitennou are not meant to be conquerors!"

"I don't speak of conquest, Zoisite!" Nephrite defended, "Men are weak, fragile, and corruptible. Is it not our charge to do everything in our power to keep them safe from harm? Are we not _sworn_ to defend them?"

"We would rob them of their free will to defend what is theirs." I replied honestly, "The path you consider is a great temptation and I pray not one you entertain regularly."

"Temptation, bah!" Nephrite denied me haughtily, "From last I knew we were enlightened enough to be free from the vices of humanity. Endymion chose us based on the fact alone that we showed no interest in the menial vices."

"Believing yourself to be unencumbered by temptation is the surest sign of your humanity, Nephrite." I assured him.

The conversation was interrupted at this juncture when one of the ship's crew burst through the cabin doors panting heavily. Nephrite and I both turned to the man whose arm shot into a point towards the bow of the _Gemini._

"Don't you have the good sense to knock, sailor?" Nephrite asked.

"Beggin' your pardon, cap'n," the man gasped back, "But we're comin' up on a merchant vessel adrift."

"Colors?" Nephrite demanded immediately.

"Looks to be flyin' the Sun Cross." the sailor replied, "Shall we assemble a search party?"

"No!" my companion snapped and his eyes quickly darted to mine to read my expression of worry, "No, sailor. Keep us at a distance for now."

"Aye, cap'n." the redheaded seaman replied in a shaky voice, "If - if I might, sir, what if there be survivors aboard?"

"Zoisite." Nephrite almost ordered and turned towards me, "Zoisite and I will go aboard the merchant ship alone."

"Cap'n you can't be serious!" the sailor gasped, "Lord knows what the Dark Kingdom has stashed away in that ship waitin' for you!"

"I intend to discover that for myself without risking any more of my crew." Nephrite growled, heaving his chest to intimidate the man, "And you'd do well not to question my orders or I'll haul you to the brig by your tongue! Now back to your post, sailor!"

"Aye, sir!" the man immediately barked and straightened up, more or less running from the cabin.

"You don't mind, do you?" Nephrite asked me as he threw his dark red captain's coat over his frayed cotton shirt and armed himself with his twin cutlasses.

"I would have preferred some advance warning." I replied trying to sound despondent, "Do we have anything resembling a plan?"

"Row over, see what there is to see, and row back." Nephrite stated succinctly.

As promised, we were no sooner on the deck of his flagship that we were climbing down the ship's broadsides to the waiting skiff. A veritable wall of sailors stood at the edge of the _Gemini _watching as the two of us rowed into the surging sea towards the drifting merchant vessel. The ship's sails were furled and the vessel was drifting at a moderate pace with the southwestern wind though it appeared to be listing a bit to its starboard side, possibly due to cannons or cargo below decks shifting to one side of the boat.

We climbed aboard the merchant vessel to find the deck empty. Nephrite unsheathed his right hand cutlass and kept it at his side as we moved across the empty ship. My hand trembled with anxiety over the hilt of my own sword as the wind raced down my spine, chilling me to the bone. The ship was eerily quiet and impossibly still in the constantly raking and churning water below us. I dared not to speak but there was definitely something afoul on that boat.

As we walked further to the aft section of the ship we came to the helm where a golden nameplate was stamped with the ship's name: _Celeste_. Nephrite ran his hand along the worn, but smooth rungs of the ship's wheel noting that the rudder chain was still in working order and that the vessel hadn't been intentionally set adrift. We continued down into the cargo hold on the second deck but again found nothing but empty compartments and sealed bulkheads. The crew quarters were empty with changes of clothes still in their trunks and boots still at the foot of many of the beds.

"There is something gravely wrong with this ship." I whispered to Nephrite who could only nod in return, his face burning bright red with anger and his eyes set with anxiety.

We moved through the cargo hold a second time and I curiously opened several crates and barrels to find full shipments of grains and sundries untouched. It now seemed that the ship had been abandoned and not looted. Pirates would have scoured the ship for anything of value and the cargo hold was full to the brim with common commodities. We neared the final set of stairs into the vessel's lowest deck and Nephrite reached out his hand to turn the iron bolt when suddenly a vision assailed me. My hand shot to his wrist faster than a bolt of lightning.

"No!" I warned him, pulling his hand away.

"What is it?" Nephrite asked in worry.

"We have to leave this ship!" I shouted attempting to force the horrific scene in my head away, "We have to leave _now_!"

Nephrite's face twisted into a scowl and he pushed me away from the door, He grabbed the handle and forced the door open nearly tearing the wooden frame apart. Quickly he descended into the bilges of the _Celeste_. I knew what awaited us and desperately wanted to flee, but I forced myself to accompany him.

Another bolt turned and in the room beyond we found the crew of the _Celeste_ seated at a huge banquet table feasting together with tankards of ale clacking against jugs of rum. The sailors bellowed sea shanties at the tops of their lungs, joked, and conversed with each other in the warm lantern light. There was no meager sailor's fare on the table but a roast suckling pig, no doubt plundered from the cargo hold. They ate figs, dates, and other exotic delicacies and drank from the finest barrels of ale on the ship. We could hardly believe the scene before us as we moved further into the room. Laughter and music filled the musty cabin when we finally set our gaze upon a figure seated at the head of the table.

She was incredibly tall for a woman; easily equaling Nephrite's imposing height. Her hair was the color of fire itself and billowed around her like a cloak. A dark violet dress covered her hourglass figure that seemed to sway with the tossing of the ship. Piercing eyes of scarlet and gold stared almost longingly at us from across the room and her hands parted, revealing two earthenware tankards brimming with ale that were undoubtedly prepared just for us. The mysterious woman smiled and with one finger adorned with a stiletto-sharp nail beckoned us to come closer.

My feet moved of their own accord. At that moment my mind became a mire of desire and squander. I felt content; more content than I had ever felt in my life. We both approached and sat in the two vacant seats closest to this enchanting presence and waited to hear what siren song she would sing to us. We were presented with our tankards of ale and we both drank deeply, enjoying the revelry around us and sharing in the elation of a crew whose long months from home, raw hands, and hard work was finally being acknowledged.

"I've been waiting for you." the strange red-headed woman spoke to Nephrite in a voice that was positively enchanting, "You don't know how eagerly I have anticipated this moment."

She reached out with her long, sharp fingers to brush strands of auburn hair from Nephrite's face. My companion was positively rapt by her presence and I too found myself feeling strangely enamored. Her palm came to rest on his cheek and Nephrite's eyes closed as she caressed him gently. I found myself longing for her touch, not from any primal instinct or for any erotic pleasure, but simply to know what it felt like to be that close to her.

"You will be my first." She spoke almost in an almost elegiac tone as she kissed Nephrite fully on the lips and breathed into his nostrils.

I felt my mind swarm with thoughts of swiftly dispatching my partner and replacing myself where he sat to enjoy this enigmatic woman's graces. I reached out with my hand and laid it on Nephrite's shoulder fully intending to force him away from this enchantress, but upon touching him I suddenly snapped from my revelry and became acutely aware of what was, in actuality, a terrible atrocity being committed before my very eyes. It is difficult to explain the exact sensation, but picture your soul as a clean white bed sheet; what I felt was tantamount to a vat of tar being dumped on that sheet, scalding hot, sticky, and impossible wash away. I jumped from my seat and drew my saber in the same motion.

As I banished the illusion of the feast and the stench of death surrounded me with my first breath. The woman with the fiery red hair was gone and in her place was left a foul scene. The floorboards below the water line were damp and several puddles lined the deck stained scarlet with fresh blood. I had noticed the vessel leaned to one side when we first boarded and now I saw why: on the right hand side of the damp and disgusting hold were piled the decapitated corpses of twenty or more sailors. Twenty sets of lifeless eyes stared at the grotesque scene from the opposite side of the room from where the severed heads had been hung from the ship's girders.

My eyes adjusted to the macabre scene just as I noticed there was one unfortunate soul still alive buried beneath the mountain of headless corpses. The man gasped for air as he weakly chanted the same verse of a prayer over and over. One fist was clenched tightly and a I could see a small glint of light from between his white knuckles. I immediately began moving the cadavers surrounding him in a desperate bid to save the poor soul. At the same time I was wrestling with my subconscious against the horrible images I'd seen, the illusion of the red-haired enchantress, and the encroaching feeling of all-consuming sickness of the soul that was actively trying to sap the life from me.

"Nephrite!" I called expecting aid and received no answer.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Nephrite still lazy-eyed and staring off into a colorful distance that only he could see. I knew no normal stimulus would awaken him from his walking dream so calling on my magical powers I channeled a spell of flame through my cutlass and made the blade white-hot which I then touched gently against the flesh of his left arm. It took almost three full seconds before Nephrite registered the pain and, howling curses, snapped from his trance.

"Zoisite, what-" he began to ask when I silenced him with little more than my face, drawn in a stern look of worry, anger, and contempt.

"I need your help." I spoke plainly and gestured towards the gruesome display.

Nephrite's jaw dropped open and he fell to his knees, clawing at limbs and viscera in a wild, feral bid to uncover the trapped man. We finally managed to clear away enough of the dead to pull the man out only to find his abdomen had be sliced open assuring a slow, painful demise. Nephrite met eyes with the shuddering, praying figure on the wet floor. The man could not even think for himself in his condition so I stepped in against my fear hoping my clairvoyance would be of some use to the suffering sailor. I laid my hand gently on his head and slowly he began to come around as his aimless chanting stopped. The first sign I heard of his consciousness returning was the anguished moan as he registered the pain of his broken body. Almost immediately he lost consciousness.

"Umino!" Nephrite shouted, nearly straddling the apparently familiar man's chest and forcing me out of the way.

"Nephrite, we need to get him back to your ship!" I encouraged and stood up.

"We are not moving until I have answers." Nephrite assured me in a tone of voice he normally reserved for only his most fiendish adversaries.

"We must leave immediately." I stressed as I struggled to remain composed, "This ship is saturated with evil. We've seen foul things and we must discover what that woman did to you!"

"What woman?" Nephrite shouted in disgust and looked to me as if I were no more than child just beginning his academic studies, "Zoisite, I have no time for one of your lapses. Now help me awaken Umino!"

I had to slow my thinking momentarily to understand what was happening. The fact that Nephrite couldn't remember the woman I spoke of troubled me. More troubling was the fact that the more I focused on the memory of the illusion the more difficulty I had seeing it clearly. I too seemed to be forgetting it and that is no small accomplishment where a Shitennou is concerned considering we simply do not forget _anything_. As I pondered, I worked my healing magics to rouse the dying sailor. In his condition, it was the very extent of my abilities.

"Umino." Nephrite said commandingly.

"N- Nephrite?" the wounded captain stammered, "No!"

"No what?" my companion demanded, "What happened here?"

"Th- the … the ship!" Umino croaked between fits of moaning, "You've s- seen the ghost ship?"

"What about it?" Nephrite continued interrogating the poor man regardless of his condition.

"Followed us." the captain gasped back, "For n- nigh on a week at our heels … She s- said that you w- would come!"

"Who?"

"She s- said you would hunt them until you … hunted … yourself!" the dying captain continued cryptically, "Take… this…"

Umino thrust his clenched hand towards Nephrite and allowed whatever he was holding to pass into my companion's bloody hand. Nephrite paid it no heed for the moment and continued his barrage.

"Damn you, Umino, I have no time for trinkets!" Nephrite swore, slamming the dying man against the wooden floorboards, "Where is that ship now?"

"The thieves' port-" Umino coughed back, "Acheron."

With that the captain fell limp in Nephrite's grasp. I sighed to myself, easing back on the grip I'd taken on my saber as Nephrite literally pounded the answers, and the life, out of the unfortunate sailor. My companion withdrew, standing up and wiping beads of sweat from his brow with his coat sleeve as the temperature in the stifling bilges had risen. The stench of the recently deceased crew began to overpower us and we quickly made our way back up to the salty sea air above deck.

"Acheron." Nephrite growled in his throat.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Nephrite." I apologized, "We should never have come here."

"He was a fine captain." Nephrite quietly remembered the deceased Umino, "He'd only recently taken a wife, I'd heard. He was due to resign his commission at the end of the quarter to raise the child they were expecting."

"Nephrite …"

"Now this child will have to grow up without a father." Nephrite seethed through gritting teeth, "And the wife will light a lantern at the end of the pier every night but her husband will never sail home again."

Without warning the Shitennou lunged towards a barrel of pitch near the main mast and toppled it spilling a thick line of the sludgy liquid across the deck. He followed suit with similar barrels and lanterns, emptying their flammable contents onto the wooden surface of the ship as he roared a mariner's prayer at the top of his lungs. Striking a flint he carried Nephrite dropped it into the oily tar and it immediately burst into flame, snaking its way up the mast tackle and riggings to the highly flammable canvas sails. Within moments the ship was a blazing inferno ready to make its final voyage into oblivion. I watched through melancholy eyes as we rowed back to Nephrite's flagship as the _Celeste_ was engulfed by flame and the sea and said a silent prayer for the good men she took with her.

"Acheron." Nephrite repeated himself.

"I would be wary if you intend to pursue Umino's story." I warned my friend, "Why would our enemy leave one man alive with the knowledge of their port if not to lure us into a trap?"

"I care nothing for traps or treachery." Nephrite replied coldly as the _Gemini _loomed into view through the smoke and fog, "For so help me if I find my prey in Acheron I will burn the whole city to the ground."

Unfortunately I did not doubt the sincerity of Nephrite's words. I knew him to be brash and quick to anger, but never to this extent. The way he battered Umino, even as the captain lay dying was practically soulless. As I reflected on our latest venture I recalled the face of a strange woman with red hair. As soon as I had pictured her in my mind the face was gone. The memory faded and I had to shake my head in wonder if I had simply conjured the image myself.

A glance at Nephrite revealed that he was studying the trinket Umino passed on to him before he died. Nephrite rolled the item between his fingers and I saw that it was a small stone of some sort. It did not look like jewelry to my eyes, nor did it seem a precious commodity that Umino would have jealously guarded. It appeared to be little more than a cloudy chunk of jade.

"Nephrite?" I asked.

I received no answer. Nephrite stared into the facets of the crystal oblivious to the world around him. I reached out and shook him hard on the shoulder and he abruptly came to. His eyes were burning with intensity.

"What is that?" I asked slowly and motioned to his hand which immediately curled into a fist to hide the stone from my sight.

"Nothing." He grumbled.

My heart began to beat faster. Nephrite was an honest man at all costs; the worst kind of honesty Endymion would sometimes say. He spoke the truth no matter the consequence. Now he was lying to my face.

"If it was Umino's then cast it into the ocean." I suggested, "Don't carry the weight of the dead, Nephrite."

Nephrite stared at me long and hard. For a moment I thought my advice had taken root, but instead of throwing the stone into the roiling sea Nephrite shoved his hand into the pocket of his coat and turned away. The _Gemini_ loomed closer and I shrunk back down on to the bench of the skiff with a heavy sigh. With my soul beginning to ache with worry I focused on the voyage ahead. It would take us another three days to reach the port of Acheron, a haven of merchant guilds, smugglers, and those living on the outside of the law.

When we reached the port I had little idea the lengths Nephrite would go to ensure his personal brand of justice was met. Even as we scaled the broadsides of the_ Gemini_ and readied her to disembark I realized something about my fellow Shitennou seemed out of place. It was as if his shadow fell in the wrong spot. I could understand the trap, the death of his sailors, and the atrocity on the _Celeste_ affecting him deeply, but this was different. It was as if the recessive, less desirable traits of my mighty companion were attempting to dominate his even, stoic personality. Nephrite was changing, and it was not a change for the better.


	5. Chapter 3, Acheron

**THREE**

**Acheron**

There was a time when I was a child, if not physically then at least emotionally and spiritually. I remember a time long ago when within the walls of Elysion's capitol city noble children would run and play in the streets with those of the peasantry. Jadeite in particular loved to sit on the sidelines watching the young ones play their games, sometimes joining in himself as was his way. I remember thinking that these children, these innocent and pure creatures would one day grow to be statesmen, diplomats, warriors, and artisans. They would shape the future of Elysion and it was our charge to keep them safe. It was then that I decided I would have to grow beyond impulse and emotion and that I would have to detach myself from the population to truly maintain their welfare. It is truly unfortunate that some other people could never come to this realization.

I remember one engagement between delegates from the Silver Alliance and Prince Endymion. The Alliance was represented by one of their legendary warriors: a Sailor Senshi. Many kingdoms of the Silver Alliance bore strong matriarchal societies and from these ancient traditions grew the order of the senshi. They are fearless, strong, and above all loyal defenders of the Alliance having been destined from birth to bear what is seen in Lunar society to be the highest honor.

The senshi present at that summit hailed from the planet Uranus; a mysterious and traditionally militaristic world. She was a bold, determined figure whose masculine demeanor served to rattle everyone at the table. She spoke with a venomous tongue implying that the need for a conventional conference was beneath her standing as a senshi. She was not particularly attentive to anything our ambassadors said, even Endymion himself. However when she asked a question she more or less demanded a terse, speedy response lest we all feel the stinging barbs of her impossibly perfect diction. Needless to say we all gave her a wide berth. All but one of us.

Nephrite sat on the edge of his seat for the entire meeting, his hands either clenched in fists or clamped defensively on the edge of the table. He hung on her every word and flinched expectantly at every smirk and sideways glance the senshi gave. Several times my heart leapt into my chest as I thought Nephrite was about to vault over the table with cutlass drawn to skewer the poor girl. I later learned the error of my thinking when I witnessed a senshi in battle.

At the climax of deliberation, which was over no more than trading policy, Sailor Uranus made a particularly derisive remark regarding Elysian military training institutions (navy in particular) comparing it to that of her home planet and its infamously cruel training camps. Nephrite leapt to his feet in defense drawing his ceremonial saber immediately and no less than demanded that the senshi remove herself from the palace grounds before he was forced to expel her by way of steel and sorcery.

The scene that followed afterwards would live in gossip and fireside story for years to come. Sailor Uranus met Nephrite's challenge head on when she summoned a jeweled scimitar from the ether into her hand and lunged at my colleague. Endymion and I simply stared on in shock as Nephrite quickly had to right himself and defend lest he be cut down where he stood. Jadeite flew to the edge of his seat not in concern but excitement at the prospect of a particularly good duel. Kunzite simply folded his arms across his chest and gave a dismissive snort which was echoed by many of the other delegates in the room.

Within mere moments the senshi had not only managed to disarm Nephrite but also slice his dress jacket down the center and slice horizontally across his left cheek. She held him under the point of her saber before issuing a mocking salute and excusing herself from the room, declaring that the delegations had come to an end. She was gone from the planet by the end of the day taking tales of the "barbaric" Earthlings back to the waiting ears of the Silver Alliance.

It was not the first time Nephrite had acted on impulse and it would not be the last but it was profound in that it was the first time he had faced a senshi in open combat and he was sorely bested. From that day forward he held a grudge that stewed and aged along with him. He quickly became detached from women, singling them out as only women could become senshi according to the mystical rituals involved in their creation. He no longer entered into courtship and he would go to great lengths to ensure his continued absence from any function involving a senshi. Instead he spent relentless hours training with blades and other weapons to hone his skills as far as he could with the sole intent of reclaiming his lost honor and mending his broken pride by defeating Sailor Uranus in a rematch.

In his time away from martial training Nephrite had also taken up the habit of star-gazing. He kept several keenly crafted telescopes mounted in the parapets of the Elysian palace and several more in his private quarters. He told us that the movement of the stars could herald certain events and held some mystical sway over the lives of everyone on Earth. He believed wholeheartedly in a home-grown theory involving souls being tied to some metaphysical element he called _star-seeds_ in which every living person was somehow attuned to their own celestial body. We had only recently discovered that Nephrite's infatuation with astrology led him to construct, in secret, a mansion atop a wooded hill far beyond the city walls that doubled as a private observatory.

I would not have known that Nephrite was slipping away from the palace on an almost daily basis to go star-gazing had it not been for the astute observations of Naru, the servant girl. I call them astute observations, of course, to protect at least some of her dignity. She has an unbridled attraction to my fellow Shitennou which unfortunately goes unnoticed by the object of her desires. She makes it a point to be tending the gardens in whatever area of the palace Nephrite chooses to inhabit on a given day to be nearer to his continually leering presence. Her conviction is remarkable but I find myself absently pondering that her effort would be better placed elsewhere.

The more I thought about Nephrite's unceremonious visits to his secluded sanctum the more I came to rationalize his recent behavior. He has been receding into himself as I have mentioned before, becoming more and more introverted. I began to notice this trend after learning of his growing fascination with the stars. I can only wonder what convoluted truths the ever-whirling heavens are feeding my companion.

All these thoughts were swimming through my mind as the _Gemini_ steamed into Acheron two days after the incident aboard the _Celeste_ and almost a week since the dreadful attack that set us on this vengeful course. Nephrite remained locked in his cabin even after he was informed that the vessel was securely docked so I took it upon myself to disembark (which I was more than happy to do after a lengthy boat ride) and begin my assessment of the city.

Acheron was one of three major port cities to Elysion and the only port on her eastern shores. The Merchants Guild was more of a loose alliance of self sufficient city-states than properties and trade routes scattered across the kingdom and Acheron served as a primary seat of power. From here precious commodities from the eastern colonies were traded and shipped throughout Elysion from spices to fabrics to dyes and the extremely rare compounds used in Elysian alchemy; a complex blend of science and the arcane that I myself have dabbled somewhat extensively in.

I swiftly made my way down the gangplank to the docks and found myself almost sprinting to be on dry land again. The dock area was bustling that day with at least a dozen vessels moored in the harbor and many more dotting the horizon either arriving or departing with the tide. Laborers and merchants mingled their voices in a strangely harmonious din of orders, auctions, and gossip as I passed by. Flocks of seagulls parted before me from where they stood pecking the ground sometimes packed so deep their feathers looked like mounds of snow.

The wooden docks soon gave way to dirt streets of a market area lined on either side by buildings of all shapes and sizes, mostly dry goods, general stores, and taverns on the right mirrored by inns and stables on the left to cater to the constant influx of sailors. The ground was muddy and uneven thanks to recent rainfall and deep rivets dug by carriage wheels. Even so, I found myself particularly pleased to be back on a surface that wouldn't rock and sway under me.

I passed by cobbled together stands where merchants sold everything from clothing to produce and politely refused several rather pushy vendors from forcing their wares on me. I looked past the rooftops of the squat, two story buildings to the parapets of Acheron's castle in the distance. The city had a civil government but it was the Merchants Guild that truly ran the day-to-day affairs of the seaside hamlet. The Guild established a representative in each major city to serve as a regent lord given the title of Caravan Master. In Acheron it was a salty old sailor with several missing teeth and an eye patch named Seeley. He had a history of flagrant womanizing and several brushes with piracy but he was well respected as a businessman and a strong ally in trade affairs.

I felt too weary to engage in formalities with the ruling body of Acheron so I opted to deal with its hard working citizens first. Finding the intricately engraved wooden sign for the Tide Hunter Tavern attractive with its depiction of an Elysian warrior with a spear standing before a massive tidal wave I decided to duck inside, order a draught of ale, and make inquiries about the ghost ship that attacked us.

I walked through the door of the tavern and almost immediately I felt out of place and unwelcome. There were fewer than a dozen patrons within and more than half of them appeared to be passed out on their tables. The tavern was small and cramped with tables crammed close together and tucked into every corner lighted only by a pathetic little candle at the center of each table. The bar stretched the length of the room with a small doorway splitting the racks of unlabeled bottles halfway leading to a store room beyond. Stairs along the other wall, looking rickety and worn, led to the second floor while another set pitched down into the basement.

Three weathered old sailors in overalls and long coats sat together near the corner of the bar eying me suspiciously. A fourth man sat on the complete opposite side slumped over and slowly running his finger around the rim of his half empty tankard lost in thought. A portly, bearded man stood behind the bar rattling bottles and plates together while batting a curious eye in my direction. Briefly I entertained the thought of turning around and leaving those dismal people to their depressions but I decided against it assuming I'd find similar welcome elsewhere.

"Was ye born inna barn?" a drunken man sitting at a table to my immediate right slurred at me, "Shut the door'er git out!"

I realized I still had the wooden door held open in my hand so I obediently slammed it shut and stepped up to the bar without making eye contact with any of the other patrons. The bartender continued with his work for a few moments, ignoring my presence before wiping off his hands on a dirty rag and pulling a mug off the shelf.

"What's yer sauce?" he asked brusquely.

Almost immediately thereafter the man sitting alone at the corner of the bar slumped off his stool and crashed to the ground in a heap with a heavy thud prompting a chuckle from the trio of sailors and a disapproving sigh from the bartender. I turned my head, mildly amused, and answered humorously:

"Whatever he's having."

The bearded bartender wiped my mug on his patched, grungy apron and proceeded to fill it to the brim with frothy, amber ale and set it down on the counter in front of me before turning away with a sneer, ducking into the storage room. I took a sip of the ale tasting the strange, salty overtones which was likely a side effect of being stored on the ocean. It tasted stale and woody, a very poor quality draught but distinctly appropriate for the given situation. The trio of sailors to my right apparently found my reaction amusing and they all turned away from me chuckling.

"I don't suppose they serve sea wine like that in whatever castle you're from, aye?" one of the men asked through his pipe smoke.

"What makes you think I'm from a castle?" I asked in return.

"It don't take a sharpshooter's eye to tell." a second sailor commented, "And I ain't never seen a sailor with no shiny hair."

I looked over those gentlemen with interest. The only distinguishing features about them were their faces as they all wore similar, functional mariner's clothing marred by sea and salt. The first had sharp, angular features and short cropped red hair that tended to curl into points.

"What are your names?" I asked politely.

"Havik." the first man replied and pointed to his two companions in succession. "This here is Tijgre, and Vissen."

Tijgre nodded at me, sending strands of his long greasy blonde hair into his face which he quickly brushed away. His eyes seemed a shade off of gold and they danced around wildly regarding the inside of his ale mug. Vissen also made a slight bow with his head, seeming more refined and delicate than his two companions. I noticed immediately that he was likely the most personable of the group.

"Well gentlemen." I smiled and loudly slid my stool closer to them, "Allow this silver-haired, castle dweller to buy you all a round."

I was about to shout for the bartender when Havik cut me off, "Stifle yourself, boy!" I glared at him curiously, "We ain't impoverished, and we ain't looking for handouts so keep your coins in your purse!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean any disrespect." I apologized quickly.

"This town is built on strong wood and strong backs and I'll be damned if some soft-shoed noble's boy is gonna come in here and try buy and sell us!" he continued angrily.

"That's enough, Havik." Vissen snapped and elbowed the man in the shoulder, "He just wants to buy us a drink and I'm drunk enough to let him."

Vissen smiled at me with a warm empathy I wasn't expecting. The bartender who had since returned refilled his ale mug and regarded me with a calculating stare. I obliged him by laying a generous amount of coins on the bar which he snatched away immediately without bothering to figure change. If I had any use for the money I would've pressed the issue but I was more interested in prying the minds of these three sailors.

"If you'll excuse us, then." Havik suddenly announced with a tone of deep resentment and rapped his partner on the shoulder, "Me and Tijgre have business down at the docks."

"You'll be along soon." he whispered to Vissen commandingly

Tijgre remained silent as the sailors both left their seats and glowered at Vissen as they walked past. Out of his stool I noticed that Tijgre stood almost a head taller than me and with his corona of billowing blonde tresses formed a powerfully intimidating silhouette. He bit his lip as he walked past me, apparently restraining the insult that was perched on the end of his tongue. Within a few moments they were both gone leaving me alone with Vissen

"You'll have to excuse my mates." Vissen apologized, "Havik's been in a bit of a fit since his son went off to join the army and Tijgre can't seem to get a word out these days that isn't four letters long."

"It's a strange time we live in." I answered.

"So what's your name, noble drunkard?" Vissen asked with a mischievous grin.

I pondered the question for a moment wondering if I should fabricate an alias for myself before answering "Zoisite."

The bartender's eyes darted towards me instantly and Vissen's smile faltered for a moment before he let out a high-pitched, chittering laugh. The bartender's eyes scanned him quickly before shifting back to me and then back down to whatever work he was performing behind the counter.

"A Shitennou, no less?" Vissen asked and shook his head, "You must have an exceptionally weak constitution to be telling tales like that after only a sip of your ale."

"Perhaps." I replied, happy that I wasn't taken seriously.

"So what brings a Heavenly King to lowly Acheron?"

I answered: "Actually I'm here on the _Gemini _which is docked in the harbor. We're searching for a ship that attacked us almost a week ago and we were told it may have holed up in Acheron."

"Plenty of ships come and go daily here." Vissen remarked while examining the dwindling contents of his ale mug, "What's this ship of yours look like?"

"Dark and imposing." I replied, "The kind of ship that you would see on the horizon and believe it to be a mirage. A ghost ship."

"Ghost ship?" the sailor asked incredulously.

"Aye."

He laughed heartily again and slapped me soundly on the shoulder, "My friend, I wish more folks like you would blow into this town. You could make a small fortune with the stories you weave!"

He laughed some more and slammed his ale mug into mine in toast before polishing off the contents in one gulp. Grinning again he ordered another round but before the bartender could grab the mug I opened my left hand and gestured towards the cup. Immediately it slid out of his reach. I could feel the weight of the mug in my hand even though it was more than five feet out of my reach. I focused my thoughts on the conveyance of the object and lifted it into the air, moving it across the bar and down into the cask of brine smelling ale. Vissen and the bartender watched in stunned silence as the cup filled itself and floated back through the air, settling down again in front of the sailor before I broke my control over the object. I smirked at Vissen as he turned slowly in my direction, blinking in disbelief and forcing his mouth closed again.

"Lord alive." he gasped quietly, "You really _are _a Shitennou."

"Or a traveling magician." I lightly chided, "But nevertheless I am here with the _Gemini_ and her captain and he is prepared to tear Acheron apart to find this ghost ship."

The bartender quickly ducked away from the bar and back into his store room breaking our conversation for the moment but I immediately turned back to Vissen and locked eyes with him.

"W –well I'll help if I can, but …" Vissen stammered and took an uneasy breath, "But I don't know that much outside of catching and trading fish."

"Just think." I said reassuringly.

I focused my thoughts on the faint glimpse I had taken of the ship in question when it fired on us a week ago. Holding out my right hand palm up I invoked an illusionary spell forming a wispy, cloud-like effigy of the shadowy vessel in my hand for Vissen to see. His eyes wandered over the effigy in wonderment for a moment before he shook the awe from his face and began to scrutinize the image.

"Have you ever seen this ship before?" I asked gravely.

"Aye." he replied almost breathless and repeated, "Aye."

I closed my hand and the image disappeared, startling the sailor but immediately putting him at ease. His hand darted for his mug of ale and he took a long drink. I patiently waited until he was wiping his mouth of the excess to continue.

"Where did you see it?"

"Listen …" the sailor began and took a deep breath, "I'm nothing more than an honest tradesman. Havik, Tigjre and I troll the waters for stripers to sell at the markets and that's all. I don't want to be getting caught up in this war they're talking about."

"Just tell me what you know." I encouraged him gently, "That's all I'm asking and I'll leave you to your ale."

"That ship." He breathed heavily again, "Everyone in Acheron knows it."

"Who does it belong to?"

"Seeley." he replied referring to the town's de facto governor, "It's Seeley's personal carrack, the _Lemures_."

"You're absolutely certain of that?"

"Aye." he stated resolutely, "It's a big boat to be sure but every Caravan Master is rich beyond riches so I guess it's not that strange."

"No …" I mumbled and posed the next question, "But why would a high ranking officer in the Merchant Guild, someone under the protection of the crown risk firing on the navy's flagship?"

"That I can't tell you, sir." Vissen replied hesitantly, "Maybe someone hijacked the ship off Seeley, but I didn't hear any news about it."

"Where is the ship moored?" I asked quickly.

"The Merchant Guild has a private inlet up the coast about a stone's throw around the point." the sailor answered pointing in the general direction of the harbor, "That's where the _Lemures _anchors up."

"Vissen, you've been extremely helpful." I thanked the man with a courteous bow as I stood from my stool, "Is there anything I can do to compensate you?"

"No!" he shouted and then softens his tone, "Just, please … keep this business quiet. Acheron doesn't need stuff like this getting around what with a war brewing. We're going to have enough problems the way it is."

I smiled back at the sailor ready to offer him at least another drink when the bartender abruptly emerged from the storage room again. This time, however I noticed that his face was pale white and locked in a painful, shocked expression. Immediately my eyes followed a dark crimson stain on his apron to a grotesque gashing wound across his abdomen. The bartender gasped his final breath and crashed lifeless to the ground, stumbling into a rack of mugs sending them all clattering. Vissen jumped up with a shout and backed against the wall.

I threw myself over the bar with one arm and knelt down at the bartender's side already aware that he was gone. I rolled him onto his back to inspect the vicious slice across his stomach just as footsteps approached from the storage room. I drew my saber and quickly assessed my surroundings in the cramped area behind the bar when the assailant's bloody cutlass emerged from the storage room door and my heart sank to the depths of my stomach.

Nephrite glowered at me coldly and he casually wiped the blood from his murderous sword with the bartender's tarnished cloth. His eyes were empty and frigid and his mouth wore neither a frown nor smile. He glanced towards the corpse of the bartender and then to Vissen who by that time was visibly shaking with fear. Nephrite sheathed his sword and reached for one of the bottles of wine on a nearby shelf. He pried the cork out with his teeth and took a long swig.

"Why?" I asked horrified.

"The bartender heard your conversation with this one." he replied with no emotion and gestured to Vissen, "And if he were to take that information back to Seeley it would completely negate our element of surprise."

"You didn't have to _kill_ him!" I roared in utter fury. My grip tightened on my saber.

"Don't start, Zoisite." Nephrite barked back at me, "This is a war and people die in them."

"Soldiers die in war!" I slammed back, "This man was nothing more than an innocent civilian, the ones we are sworn to protect! Your own words!"

Nephrite stuck his nose high into the air and snuffed at me, "Of course, we should have let him live, reason it out with him, spend several hours offering him coin or gold to keep his secrets and then once our backs were turned he would run to Seeley as fast as his legs could carry him with the news."

"Nephrite-" I began and was immediately cut off.

"Spare me your lectures. We'll have plenty of time for them on the voyage home." Nephrite dismissed me and turned to Vissen, "After we've dealt with Seeley."

The sailor visibly shrank as Nephrite's hand darted out and grabbed him by his shoulder. He forced him away from the wall and pushed him with a generous of force towards the door of the bar.

"Tell me everything you know about Seeley and his ship." Nephrite ordered in a harsh, commanding tone.

Vissen's eyes drifted to me one last time as Nephrite shoved him out the door of the tavern into the streets of Acheron. The wind caught the door and slammed it shut again. I could only be thankful that the rest of the patronage in the small tavern were all far too inebriated to be labeled as potential informants by my colleague.

I finally forced my saber back into its scabbard and gingerly stepped over the bloody corpse of the bartender silently damning Nephrite's name as I viewed his handiwork. I'd known my friend to be impulsive and brash but I'd never seen him go to such extremes as that. I removed my knife from within my boot and cut the strings holding on the bartender's apron and slid the blood smattered cloth up to cover his face as I muttered a silent prayer of protection.

As I stood up again I cast my glance to the doorway and dreaded my next move. If Nephrite truly believed that Seeley the Caravan Master himself attacked the _Gemini_ I had no doubt he would storm the man's palace alone and cut him down in cold blood. I would need to find empirical proof to that end or against it before more innocent blood was shed on account of my fellow Shitennou's boiling rage.

The only question was: how?


	6. Chapter 4, Nephrite's Test

**FOUR**

**Nephrite's Test**

I kept my distance from Nephrite for the next day as he ruthlessly interrogated Vissen. Instead I sat near the docks watching the ships come and go wondering as ever how the lives of these simple men and women would be changed in the coming months as war inevitably spread across Elysion. They worked, toiled, and laughed oblivious to me as I took in their every subtle move and gesture. Perhaps I shouldn't spend so much of my time analyzing other people but I found myself drawn to them, longing to protect them and unfortunately at that moment I may have had to protect them from a colleague's vengeful blade. Lost in my thoughts I didn't hear the lumbering frame of Tijgre and his companion Havik approach.

"We hear you're one of the Four Heavenly Kings." Havik growled down at me.

"I am."

They traded worried looks with each other before Havik continued, "What does Endymion want with Vissen?"

"Nothing." I sighed back and stood to meet them face to face, "One of my comrades has need of his services."

"Need?" Havik snorted, "Vissen didn't look too willing to oblige him when your friend dragged him hand over fist out of the tavern yesterday."

"Nephrite can be … tactless." I tried to defend his actions, "Rest assured no harm will come to your friend."

"I should hope not." Havik drilled his teeth together and stepped almost nose to nose with me and rasped, "Seems to me your friend had his fill of blood when he sliced the bartender across the belly like a butcher!"

"It smells like you've been indulging that sea wine again, Havik." I told him not wanting to debate with a drunken man and edged away.

At that outburst Tijgre stepped in front of the boiling sailor and before I could react the behemoth of a man slammed a heavy fist into the side of my head. The world spun around me and I barely felt my body meet the ground with a crash. Several bystanders gasped in surprise, some of them chuckled knowingly. Tijgre's hands were around my collar in the next moment and he lifted me off the ground with frightening ease before, like a rag doll, he tossed me back into the bench I had been seated on.

"Take that back to your fellow Shitennou." Havik ordered with a sneer and gestured to the darkening circle beneath my eye, "And trust me, Seeley already knows about your plans. Go off and fight your wars but leave Acheron alone!"

The two men leered at me for a good while before finally turning and walking away down the muddy streets of the city. My vision swam for a few more moments before I was able to drag myself off the bench and onto the docks leading back to the _Gemini._ As usual there were at least a dozen sailors going about their duties with stoic faces and precise movements. Nephrite was nowhere to be seen as I made my way up the gangplank onto the deck. I weaved my way around the sailors and masts still attempting to shake the haziness from my senses after such a crushing blow. I hesitated at the door to Nephrite's cabin for a moment before I turned the handle and stepped inside.

The inside the room was still as it was a few days prior. The table Nephrite had destroyed was still lying in pieces in one corner of the room with smashed glass surrounding it amidst the stain of dried up rum. This time, however, my companion was not poring over maps and charts on his desk. I didn't see him anywhere in the room, nor did I see Vissen whom Nephrite had literally taken captive yesterday. I studied the interior of the room as I approached Nephrite's desk and marveled at the intricate scrollwork on the wooden bulkheads.

His desk was still littered with papers and overturned ink wells but there was no indication as to where the captain had gone. I peered over the back edge of the desk and that's when I noticed a worn leather boot sticking out from under the piece of furniture. Quickly I moved around behind the desk and knelt down. There I found Nephrite sitting on the floor with his back against the inside corner of his desk with one leg tucked under the other. His head was bowed and his eyes were shielded by one hand which continually rubbed his forehead above his eyebrows.

"Nephrite?" I asked worriedly.

He parted his fingers to allow one of his eyes to peer through his hand and I was suddenly taken aback. His rugged leathery cheeks were streaked with grime and the trails of dry tears. His body shuddered violently as I watched him and a gurgling cough escaped his throat reeking of potent liquor.

"Nephrite?" I asked again.

"Zoisite …" he moaned weakly and finally dropped his hands away from his face fully revealing his ragged and worn features, "How did it come to this?"

My instincts kicked in immediately and I asked, "Where is Vissen?"

My companion weakly motioned to one of the windows in his cabin and slurred, "Gone. I released him earlier today."

I breathed a sigh of relief before continuing: "You look like you've taken ill, Nephrite. You need to rest."

"No!" he growled back in a surprisingly dark tone, "Seeley must be dealt with."

"We only know that it was his ship that attacked us." I reminded him gently, "We have no indication that he himself was in command or even orchestrated the attack."

Nephrite shook his head violently back and forth denying my claim and slammed a fist into the wooden deck of the cabin. He coughed once, hard, possibly attempting to stifle a radical outburst or another flood of tears. I wanted to feel sorry for him, to console him for the loss of his sailors, for the loss of Umino, and his continued torment but I found myself unable to in light of his intolerable actions the day before. Then I noticed the peculiar glint in his fist. That stone that Umino gave him seemed to be shining with its own inner light. I was afraid of that green gem, but could not understand why.

His fit abated quickly leaving Nephrite strained and listless in his uncomfortable burrow. He shook his head again, attempting to clear his eyes of the glossy film that encroached on them with little success. I smelt the stench of alcohol again waft from his ragged form and quietly observed several empty bottles of rum littered about the cabin. Apparently taking notice to something revealing in my features he squinted his eyes and motioned towards me.

"What happened to your face?" he asked weakly.

I reached to touch my cheekbone, still sore and apparently bruising as I answered, "One of Vissen's comrades wanted to know where he was."

"And he thought _that_ was the best way to ask?" Nephrite asked with a dry chuckle and pointed at my face again, "I'm sorry."

Finally my companion dragged himself out from under the confines of his desk, like a child emerging from his secluded hiding place after he'd run away from home. He attempted to stealthily slip the jade stone into his pocket, but fumbled and called obvious attention to it. I pretended not to notice as I studied him. His dark red leather pants and vest were still in fair condition but his white undershirt looked as though it hadn't been changed in days. He tried to steady his swaying upper body by anchoring his hands on the hilts of his twin cutlasses still strapped to his sides.

"I'm sorry you chose to come on this voyage." Nephrite apologized and began moving slowly about the cabin, cracking his joints as he walked, "And I'm sorry my behavior may be causing you undue stress."

"Nephrite…" I started and quickly attempted to construct my next sentence as directly as possible, "What is happening to you?"

He grimaced and turned to stare accusatorily down at me, "What do you mean?"

"You are many things, Nephrite: brash, quick to anger, and prone to violence." I replied honestly, "But you have never been barbaric. The way you straddled and interrogated Umino? The way you murdered that bartender yesterday? Those are not the actions of the man I know."

"You always did rather pompously profess to know more about us then we knew about ourselves." Nephrite chastised me, "I know myself, Zoisite. I know my limits. More than this I know where this path leads. You trust your so-called intuition while I put my trust in a higher power."

"A power higher than that of our Master?"

"The stars." Nephrite paused and bit his tongue, hazarding the next words out of his mouth, "Perhaps not a power themselves, but they have shown me things that our Master would keep hidden from me." He paused again and grinned slightly, "A test."

"A test?" I echoed, perplexed.

"These past days have been little more than a game of chance." Nephrite explained and examined his reflection in a hanging mirror, "A test of loyalty, perhaps; a test of fealty to Master Endymion."

"Our master would not test us in such gruesome fashion!" I exclaimed immediately.

"Perhaps not you, Zoisite." Nephrite said with a tone of disdain, "Do not forget that I have seen far more hours in battle than you. I have lived my life in battle, in the heat of combat. What Master Endymion sees in me is a soldier greater than any of the common rank and he has deigned to weigh and measure me in greatest battle of all."

"He intends for you to defeat the Dark Kingdom single-handedly?" I asked mockingly.

"He intends for me to do what you, Jadeite, and even Kunzite cannot." he replied, closing his eyes in deep thought and reverence, "The time has come for the Shitennou to _act_ and not simply advise."

"We have always been able to act." I was quick to assure him, "But what you have been doing disgraces our noble title. Do you think my eyes have been blind to your atrocities on this voyage?"

"No, no." he explained and wound his arm around my shoulder as he approached, "Not atrocities my good friend, atrocities are committed by tyrants. I am performing heroic deeds; deeds which will be immortalized in story and song; Nephrite's grand test to finally prove his worth to Endymion."

"You proved your worth by simply being anointed as one of the Four Heavenly Kings!" I reminded my thoroughly deluded companion, "But what you have done could very well make our Master reconsider his decision!"

He bent down to be eye level with me and whispered, "Reconsider, or reinforce."

As he breathed the words across my face I was again assaulted by the thick, briny scent of rum and tears. All the long years I had known Nephrite I was aware of his fondness for spirits, but in a situation as volatile as ours enough of that stuff could spell the difference between suppressed rage and outright carnage.

"This is no more than a rite of passage!" he bellowed loudly and ripped his arm away from me, spinning around to slam his fists upon his desk, "A rite stained in the blood of _my men_!"

Nephrite's fingers clenched along the length of the wooden desk tearing into the frame as he launched his full weight into it and flipped it end-over-end to tumble crashing to the deck. Maps, charts, quills, and papers careened into the air in a veritable rain of parchments. My companion roared in anguished laughter viewing the mess he'd created before his rancid chuckling broke into fits of frightening, staccato growls. His hand sought out his pocket and that jade stone filled his fist once again…

"How could Master Endymion do this?" he asked gravely, fists clenched and eyes fixed on the wooden floorboards, "_Why_ would he do this to _me_?"

"He's done nothing, Nephrite." I resolutely declared, "Our Master would never test us, not even you, in such a despicable manner."

"But he does! He does even now, Zoisite! Don't you see?" Nephrite demanded furiously, waving his fist with that hateful stone in my face, "Your words ring true! He _has_ lost his faith in me!"

I grabbed his fist and forced it away from me, staring him straight in the eyes though my resolve was shaky and reminded him: "You were chosen as a Shitennou. There is no greater trust than what the Master has placed in you, Nephrite."

"But-"

"There is a poison in your soul, my friend." I declared attempting to divert the conversation away from more wretched self-deprecating outbursts, "I know it is neither a sea-sickness nor common plague. Some darkness has crept into your sight and clouds your vision of what is real and what is not."

"Master Endymion." Nephrite coughed in earnest, "He won't trust me anymore!"

"The Master would only break his trust if you lose your trust in Him." I interrupted firmly, "And no one, not me, and certainly not the stars can break a bond that strong. This I know because it is the one indisputable thing you and I share, Nephrite."

At that Nephrite seemed to pale as if my words had their desired effect though I was sure he was far too inebriated and likewise confused to truly be rid of his malcontent. He turned away, shoved his hand and that stone back into his pocket, and rubbed the bridge between his nose and eyebrows in contemplation. Finally, he dropped his hands to his sides with a weary, tired sigh.

"I don't know how I can console the loss of your sailors or of Umino." I said taking a step towards him, "And I don't know how I can forgive your actions in the tavern yesterday, but I will always stand by you as your brother-in-arms and as your friend."

"There is nothing I can do now but see this through." Nephrite announced and looked up to meet my gaze, "This has become a test, whether it was intended to be or not."

"I agree that Seeley, if responsible, must be brought to justice." I noted with added stress, "But I beg you, Nephrite, to cast aside your personal grief and act in the name of our Master and not your own vendettas. If you truly believe this _is_ a test then prove to Him and to yourself that you can rise above the simple need for revenge."

He nodded his head in recognition of my words though I was uncertain as to if he'd taken them to heart. In constitution he at least seemed strengthened as much of the color had returned to his face and his posture had straightened to better fit a man of his standing. He removed his well worn captain's coat from a nearby stand and slid it over his shoulders while making for the door to his cabin.

"We shouldn't delay any longer." he told me.

"You're going armed?" I asked, pointing out the twin cutlasses that were still clasped at his waist.

"I would be a fool not to." he returned, grasping the grip of one of his swords as if he were protecting it from a would-be thief.

Nephrite turned the handle and stepped out onto the deck of the _Gemini_ and immediately his sailors halted in their duties and turned to him, suspecting their captain to declare an order for them all to follow. He looked to each man in turn before offering a placatory smile and waving his hand in a signal to carry on with their work. At that, a feeling of relief desired to settle on my beleaguered mind but I forced it away out of habit so as not to lull into complacency.

"Mister Skinner, Mister Rhodes, you're with me." Nephrite commanded and his two lieutenants immediately fell into step behind us as we made our way down the gangplank of the vessel.

Skinner, the diminutive, mute sailor with his oversized blunderbuss shambled with a curious gait several strides behind Nephrite keeping his beady, hawk-like eyes trained on every shadow and hidden area along the entire marketplace. The second lieutenant, Rhodes, stayed behind me and to my right. He was a lanky man wearing plain leathers and a crude checkered bandana which had long lost its color tying back his stringy locks of graying blonde hair. His saber hung from a hook on his belt with no scabbard which spoke volumes about his character. This man was a honed, experienced fighter whose weapon was no more than a wrist's stroke away at all times.

The marketplace gave way to Acheron's central square where sat an ornate fountain that had fallen into disrepair. The county seat of government was housed within the large amphitheater shaped building to our left while a great cathedral, still under construction, framed the widening road to our right. Intermingled between the towering structures were smaller buildings boasting blacksmith shops, apothecaries, and residential housing. The streets were traveled, but relatively empty at that moment; emptier than they should have been.

No more than ten strides into the town square and we were met by three figures that flanked us from the corners of the street. I recognized them all immediately as Havik, Tijgre, and Vissen.

"Nephrite." Havik snarled and bared his teeth at our party, "Endymion's favored son of the sea, is it?"

"I have no business with you." Nephrite stated brusquely and began to walk away.

"Just like you had no business with Briggs?" Havik called after him, "The bartender that you cut down?"

Tijgre immediately interjected himself and placed his considerable brawn between Nephrite and the street which was his intended destination. Rhodes' hand leapt to his sword though a gesture from Nephrite kept the blade at bay.

"On that ship out on the open ocean you might reign supreme." Havik said scornfully, "But in the town of Acheron you're no more than the Prince's errand boy."

"Think wisely on your next words lest they liberate your tongue from the confines of your mouth." my companion threatened in the darkest tone of voice I have ever heard uttered from his throat. My spine stiffened immediately the hair rose all over my body.

"Do you actually think Seeley would be fool enough to fire on your vessel?" Vissen spoke up obviously wracked to his nerves to be standing in front of Nephrite.

"I intend to find out." he replied.

"And we intend to stop you." Havik interjected and all eyes shifted to him.

"Why?" I asked hesitantly.

"Because Seeley keeps this town from being washed away by the sea." Havik explained cryptically, "He keeps the boats coming in and out. He keeps up the trade and he keeps us and every other man, woman, and child in Acheron with a roof over their heads and bread on their tables."

"If Seeley is guilty of treason they'll hang him from his own yardarm." Vissen said shakily, "Acheron would fall into a depression the likes of which it could never recover from."

"If Seeley's dealings were sound I can't see how Acheron would suffer." I confessed, "Although, if he deals in … undomesticated trade …"

"Piracy." Rhodes growled and heaved his chest in readiness.

"Or worse." Nephrite intoned heavily, "The Dark Kingdom."

"How many times do I have to tell you not to bring your war into Acheron!" Havik bellowed and drew his rusty, yet still serviceable cutlass.

"Stop!" I shouted, trying desperately to contain the situation, "This is foolishness, Havik!"

"Fool I might be for testing my mettle against two of the Heavenly Kings." Havik snorted and spat on the ground before me, "But I'd rather die defending my home from stagnant decay than be forced to stand against the Dark Kingdom and its demons!"

With that he lunged towards me and I was forced to draw my saber in defense. The ringing of metal on metal signaled the start of the melee as I parried an overhand chop and deflected the blade away. From my peripheral vision I saw Skinner loading his oversized rifle with black powder, priming it for a deadly shot. Havik's blade cut the air near my left ear as I easily dodged to the right and feigned an attack from the same direction before twisting my blade around behind my back to his exposed area. He quickly had to switch his sword's direction to counter my attack which would have skewered his shoulder.

Tijgre meanwhile produced a fearsome morning star which he was battling both Nephrite and Rhodes with. The spiked head of the round mace looked as though it had seen its share of battles while the wooden stock appeared newer, likely replaced recently. The behemoth of a man roared with bestial fury as he attempted a two-handed crushing blow on my colleague. Nephrite caught the massive weapon between his two cutlasses and reversed his grip quickly, digging the blades into the ground and pinning Tijgre's weapon down just as Rhodes sliced him across the ribs.

Infuriated but surprisingly undaunted by the wound Tijgre howled in revenge and landed a devastating roundhouse to Rhodes' jaw easily dislocating it. The sailor shrieked in pain, clutched his wounded jaw and stumbled away. Nephrite stepped in and released his hold on Tijgre's weapon then spun in a wide circle to lure the man away from his injured officer. Nephrite's swords suddenly became a whirling cyclone of polished steel as he attacked ruthlessly in his hand-over-hand swashbuckling style.

As I watched the battle I noticed Vissen standing very much on the sidelines, a short sword no more than a dagger clutched defensively in front of him. The man obviously despised open combat and would have sooner thrown his lot in with us if it wasn't for his deep rooted sense of honor to Acheron and his brazen but misguided allies.

"Vissen!" I shouted, drawing his attention from the fight, "Run!"

Havik lunged towards me again, aiming the point of his sword at my abdomen and breaking me away from Vissen. I sidestepped and deflected only noticing too late that his free hand was heading straight for my chest. I managed to duck away but I left myself wide open for a slashing attack from the right and Havik's sword was already there. Suddenly there was an explosion behind me that pummeled me with such concussive force that my ears went dead and my vision shuddered for a moment. I realized that Skinner had unleashed the barrel of his oversized gun straight into Havik's chest sending a cherry-sized lead sphere directly into his heart. The old sailor stumbled for a moment before his hand shot to his chest and he fell cold and motionless on the dirty street in front of me.

"Havik!" Tijgre roared, the first time I'd heard his avalanche-like voice, "_NO!_"

The mammoth creature loosed his fury with a terrifying howl that even Nephrite backed down from. With a wide sweep of his mace he connected with the injured and incapacitated Rhodes and sent his body sailing like a rag doll into the side of the stone well where an audible crack preceded his final, defeated cry. The deadly weapon swung around again and collided with Nephrite, shattering his right forearm as he attempted to block and throttled him to the ground. I charged forward to defend my colleague as Lieutenant Skinner quickly reloaded his weapon.

Tijgre moaned in agony over his defeated companion as he raised the mace over his head to deliver the killing blow. Nephrite lashed out at the giant's knees with his left sword but even though the steel cut to the bone Tijgre was unfazed. Suddenly, just as I darted to Nephrite's side the towering warrior let out a horrible cry and dropped his weapon, reaching futilely over his shoulders and behind his back where a small sword, no more than a dagger pierced his lower spine. The giant gargled a gasping breath and sundered the ground with all the force of a tumbling redwood as he fell.

Vissen now stood behind him, a curious look plastered across his face as he examined his hands; the hands that drove the knife into his companion's back. Nephrite angrily forced himself off the ground cursing at his broken and useless right arm. His eyes caught sight of the twisted, empty body of Lieutenant Rhodes as he approached Vissen with cutlass drawn.

"Vissen, look out!" I screamed and stretched my hand toward him invoking my magical power.

Immediately a wall of fire burst into existence in the space between Nephrite and the last of the three sailors. In my battle fatigued state my concentration wavered and the spell threatened to break at the blink of an eye. I could only hope my diversion would last long enough to allow Vissen to make it clear of the square before Nephrite had a chance to cut him down.

"Zoisite!" my companion hollered in frustration as he shielded himself from the flames.

After a moment I allowed my hand to fall limp to my side and I breathed a heated sigh as the fire wall dissipated. My body was now thoroughly drained from the exertion of casting such a spell under duress. My fingers were singed at their tips and my arm felt like smoldering embers but thankfully Vissen has disappeared. Nephrite turned back to me and sheathed his sword in disgust, narrowing his eyes.

"You vex me sometimes." He stated succinctly and turned towards the road that led us out of Acheron towards the Merchants Guild inlet.

Skinner fell in behind him, silent as an stone and keeping a trained eye on everything around us. Once again I was left alone contemplating my next action. Two honest sailors lay dead at my feet along with another of Nephrite's crew, that one seeming to have fallen by the wayside as my companion's quest for vengeance began to cloud him anew. I quickly sprinted ahead to catch up with the two men lest they leave my sight for too long and more blood was spilled on unnecessary account.


	7. Chapter 5, The Fall

**FIVE**

**The Fall**

As Acheron shrank behind us I began to feel an overwhelming sense of anxiety closing in around me. Nephrite moved with the speed and determination of an animal on the hunt; weaving his way through narrow paths, along cliff's edges and through dense forest. He seemed to know his way though I was sure that he'd never spent enough time in the port city to have known its layout so intimately.

We trudged up the side of a wooded hill which ended abruptly at a sheer cliff face where waves smashed against ancient rocks below. From our vantage point we had a clear view of the cul-de-sac bay where several tall ships sat anchored in a small harbor. The shore was lined with smaller huts bisected by a well kept cobblestone path leading up into the trees where a stately mansion overlooked the entire inlet. Among the unfamiliar masts and tackle of the ships below us one stood out among the rest: a black ship with a sleek, cutting profile and flying the crest of the Merchants Guild. I could never mistake the harrowing silhouette of that vessel.

"That's our ship." Nephrite growled to me and turned to forge a path down the side of the cliff to the inlet below. The diminutive Lieutenant Skinner followed at his heels priming his musket for its inevitable use.

The scene that played out seemed so surreal at the time. I remember thinking that I was watching a dream; a fast-moving stream of thought that I'd somehow managed to get swept up in and no matter what I did I wouldn't be able to change the outcome. It felt almost as though I were cast as an extra in one of the theatre productions the nobles of Elysion indulged themselves with. The feeling of powerlessness was wholly unwelcome but it was only later that I realized the strange sensation was borne of something closer to destiny than dreams.

The forest surrounding Acheron was comprised primarily of ancient conifers. Pines dominated the landscape interspersed with firs. In the lower elevations oak and birch were prominent and they began to reappear as we descended the treacherous hills surrounding this secluded bay. I reached out to grab a branch to steady myself as the three of us slid down a dirt embankment to the waiting stream below. Nephrite managed to pull to his feet and vault over the swiftly running creek but Skinner and I were not so lucky. We tumbled head first into the frigid water, soaking us completely.

Nephrite ignored our predicament and continued, drawing one of his swords to slash his way through the denser deciduous growth. As we were now at sea level again it was only a matter of finding our way to the shore and then up the path to Seeley's mansion. Skinner wobbled in his strange walk as he checked his weapon for readiness and to ensure the water had not adversely affected the gun's mechanics. I found my hand resting nervously on the hilt of my sword as we advanced and the forest quickly receded to little more than scrub grass and cat tails.

We reached the sandy beach of the inlet and swiftly made our way across were several Merchants Guild laborers were busily loading a shipment of grains onto a waiting skiff. They took notice to us as we approached and began to speculate among themselves as to our purpose. The dock foreman, a well trimmed gentleman of some years wearing a regal wig and spectacles sauntered towards us baring a ledger and a scowl.

"Gentlemen, this is a private harbor." he informed us snottily, "Unless you bear a summons I should ask you to peacefully be on your way."

Nephrite leveled the edge of his cutlass at the man's throat and laid the flat of the blade on his shoulder, gently nudging the man in the direction he wanted him to move. The old man stiffened and gulped as he stepped swiftly aside and allowed my companion to pass. Skinner's eyes never left the man's face and he held out his oversized rifle to underline Nephrite's silent command. We met eyes as I passed and I softened my gaze, attempting to wordlessly communicate my apology but the man simply scowled all the harder at me and turned away, ordering the slack jawed onlookers back to work.

I became acutely aware of the dozen or so workers that dropped everything they were doing and decided instead to follow several paces behind us, their faces twisted in confusion and some of them ready to brawl. The climb up the cobblestone path to the opulent mansion above seemed to last forever. Gardeners and others employed by the mansion joined the procession behind us as we passed by. Finally the broad wooden doors of the mansion loomed into view in front of us.

Up close the house was a distinct marvel to behold. It was constructed out of local lumber and seemed a relatively recent addition to the landscape as most of the surround garden had yet to fill in. Multiple rows of hedges surrounded the mansion in symmetrical patterns while walkways filled in the rest of the space lined with exotic plants and two small artificial ponds. The house itself stood three stories tall with cathedral windows accenting the façade of the whitewashed front walls. A porch surrounded the entire front quarter supported by marble and granite columns worked into spirals.

The clouds above us parted as the giant doors of the mansion swung open and a limping sailor emerged with two identically clad guards in studded leather armor wielding swords. Their dark brown hauberks were partially covered by a scarlet tabard emblazoned with the Merchants Guild golden crest: The letter M stylized as the masts of a ship encircled by olive branches.

Behind the soldiers I noted one more face emerging from the house. Vissen stood quietly behind the armored men watching as the three of us and the host of onlookers that followed marched directly up to the mansion's steps. I could not fault the troubled man should he raise his sword against us but I dreaded the looming reality that I might have to engage in combat with him. After all, he was openly honest when I spoke with him at the tavern only a day prior. Apparently his interrogation by Nephrite's hand hardened him enough to side with Havik and Tijgre in their misguided defense of the city but I could still see the lingering regret in his eyes as he attempted to meld with the shadows and remain hidden from our sight.

The old sailor at the head of the group hobbled his way to the edge of the house and stood before Nephrite. Hunched as he was he only stood to my companion's chest but his presence was imposing nonetheless. This man held no fear or doubt. To the casual onlooker he would have appeared much older than he actually was and I assumed the heavy lines on his face were due to the rabid winds of the sea. His skin was leathery and scarred, his beard was thin and gray much like the shock of hair atop his head, and his clothing was surprisingly gritty and plain given the size and opulence of the house he inhabited. He appraised Nephrite with his one good eye (the other was covered by a black patch) and stuck his nose up at him in defiance.

"You got a lotta nerve stormin' up to my house uninvited-like!" the sailor rebuked Nephrite.

"A Shitennou reserves the right to pass freely through any lands under the jurisdiction of the crown." Nephrite corrects him, "You are Seeley, I presume?"

"I am." the old man replied and stuck his finger in Nephrite's chest, "And yer plain daft if'n you think a high and mighty title is gonna intimidate me. You ain't welcome here!"

"Sir!" I interjected, stepping in front of the silent Skinner to stand at Nephrite's side, "We apologize for our unannounced arrival but we have reason to suspect your carrack, the _Lemures_, was involved in a recent attack on my colleague's flagship."

The crowd of laborers and servants gasped at my words and began to chatter among themselves. Seeley's eye darted back and forth attempting to read everyone's expression before he loudly cleared his throat and cracked his neck in an attempt to calm himself. I knew immediately that the old sailor was hiding something, but I wasn't entirely convinced as to his guilt or innocence.

"Unbelievable!" Seeley shouted only partially feigning insult, "Marchin' up to my house is one thing but accusing me of treason is quite something else!"

Nephrite's hands moved faster than I could follow and he grabbed the old sailor by the collar of his shirt, hoisting him a good foot off the ground to hang eye-to-eye with him. The two guards gasped and the points of their swords were immediately at Nephrite's neck. Vissen stirred in the shadows and I saw his hand shoot up defensively, as though he wanted to step in and attempt to diffuse the situation.

"I saw your ship." Nephrite seethed through his teeth, "You ran without lamps and you fired a single shot on a half-sunk frigate purposely trapped with powder and sent eight of my sailors to the depths!"

"Put me down, you buffoon!" Seeley spat even as he hung helpless in Nephrite's iron grasp, "Let _go_!"

The guards took a step back and my companion obliged him forcibly as he threw Seeley down into the stairs of his mansion. The old man's back cracked against the steps as he let out a pained cry and shot his arm in a point towards Nephrite, a sure sign for his guards to attack. The two armored soldiers hesitated for a moment before they moved in with their swords drawn once again.

Nephrite's eyes never left Seeley's as he calmly reached to the scabbard and drew his right cutlass with blinding speed. The sun shone off the blade for a brief moment as Nephrite summoned his strength and lashed out at the two guards in front of him. His cutlass connected with both of their swords with such force that his blade sliced through theirs as if through a sapling. Sparks flew and the guards jumped back in fear as the blades clattered to the ground leaving them with little more than useless hilts in their hands. Seeley attempted to scamper backwards up the steps but Nephrite was quickly on top of him, straddling his legs and bringing the razor sharp point of his sword under the old sailor's chin.

"Talk." Nephrite ordered in a chilling voice.

"You bastards!" Seeley cursed and spat in his face, "How dare you think you can just march in here and-"

Nephrite shoved the tip of his sword forward and the point buried itself in the leathery skin of Seeley's lower jaw and drew a stream of blood as well as a single, yelping cry. The old sailor bit down hard attempting to fight his way through the pain as Nephrite savagely twisted the blade.

"Talk." he repeated.

Seeley grit his teeth in pain and frustration, growling against the intrusion of steel in his flesh. Vissen looked away in horror as the crowd around us gasped, cried out, or turned and ran as fast as they could away from us. Finally, with tears beginning to well in his eyes Seeley acquiesced and let out a mournful cry for Nephrite to remove the blade from his chin. My companion ripped the sword free and grabbed the sailor by his shirt again, hoisting him into a sitting position on the steps. Seeley immediately clutched his wounded jaw and squeezed, attempting to control the bleeding.

"Alright!" he shouted as Nephrite passed his cutlass in front of his face again, "Put the damned sword away and we'll talk! We'll talk!"

Nephrite studied the sailor's weary, broken expression for a moment before deciding to sheathe his cutlass. His hand wandered to his pocket and he filled it with that damnable stone which he rolled absentmindedly between his fingers. He then took to a knee in front of Seeley and stared him down, shrinking the man under his penetrating, frightening gaze.

"The Dark Kingdom." Seeley said after several moments of silence, "I'm sure you know your fair share about that rogue army."

"Are you going to tell me that they were the ones who fired on my vessel?" Nephrite asked almost expectantly.

"No." Seeley said back, "No, it was indeed the _Lemures_ that fired the shot."

"I see." Neprhite mulled and stopped rolling the stone around, instead clamping down on it with such pressure that his knuckles whitened, "Why?"

"We'd suspected one of our captains was smuggling weapons and provisions to a Dark Kingdom camp some leagues south of here." Seeley confessed, "The merchant ship that we fired on wasn't no target to bait you with. It was one of our own ships that the Dark Kingdom had captured and… sullied." The old sailor shivered at the thought, "We loaded it with so much powder to make sure there'd be nothing left of that cursed vessel."

"From your position you could have plainly seen the _Gemini_ and yet you fired anyway." I said remembering the night of the dreadful attack.

"It was a choice I had to make." Seeley coughed in reply, "I figured a ship like that could withstand the blast, but I didn't know your men were aboard when we fired."

"And you didn't think to signal us first?" Nephrite roared and lunged at the man, wrapping his hands around his throat, "You murdered eight of my sailors!"

"You don't understand, I didn't have a choice!" Seeley gasped as the life was crushed from his body, "That sh- ship was pure … e- evil!"

Nephrite relaxed his grip slightly as Seeley choked for breath after breath. His eyes had now lost all of their steely resolve under Nephrite's hateful glare. I felt a surge of some unknown, heinous power flowing out from my companion similar to what I felt during his drunken tirade on the _Gemini._ The stone in Nephrite's hand was glowing with a steady light. Seeley seemed to notice the change as well and his face grew pale.

"What about Umino?" Nephrite demanded, slamming the sailor against the wooden steps, "You ransacked his ship, cut up his crew, and left him barely clinging to life with a vulgar message that led me straight to you!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Seeley defended hopelessly.

Nephrite's eyes widened in fury at the man's denial and he drew back his fist, striking a debilitating punch to Seeley's already bruised face. His head snapped back and bounced off the wooden steps and Nephrite immediately pulled him face-to-face again. The old sailor sputtered and coughed blood cursing at the top of his lungs.

"_I DON'T KNOW!_" he cried vengefully.

As I watched the old man struggle against Nephrite I found myself unable to move even though I desperately wanted to step in and help. My body refused to do my mind's bidding as though, like I felt before, I was only watching a play; a dream that I couldn't interact with or wake up from. Suddenly I remembered something that Umino had said as he lay dying in the keels of his own ship, just before he passed that hateful stone into Nephrite's eager grasp:

"_She said you would hunt them until you hunted yourself!"_

_She._

I recalled the faint memory of an imposing woman with razor-sharp nails, penetrating golden eyes and hair like fire. The memory had suppressed itself until that moment when I slowly began to understand what was happening. Seeley may have landed the shot that tragically killed Nephrite's sailors, an act surely punishable under our laws, but he certainly could not have committed the slaughter aboard the _Celeste_. Who or whatever had done that unspeakable deed was baiting Nephrite.

"_You will be my first."_ she said as she embraced him as clouds enveloped the sun.

A very intricate series of carefully laid events had played out since that tragic day leading up to this confrontation. I began to fully comprehend Nephrite's growing isolation, his unceasing torment, and his thoughtless slaughter.

Nephrite had said this entire mission had become a test of loyalty and while I did not believe him at the time it certainly now seemed clearer that we were in fact being tested. But he was not being tested by our Master; no, he was being tested by whatever loathsome creature we had encountered and until now forgotten. The sudden revival of that terrifying memory galvanized me into action and I practically leapt where I stood.

"Nephrite, don't!" I shouted, suddenly in control of myself again and breaking into a cold sweat.

He cocked his glance towards me and I peered into his soul, seeing his amplified rage wash away his morality like carrion birds tearing at a dying animal. As I stared at him I did not see my companion, the naval Shitennou whose bravery and cunning had long kept borders of Elysion safe; the prideful though arrogant sailor whose very name inspired men and caused women to swoon. Instead I saw little more than an empty shell of a body permeating with festering evil. His billowing auburn hair might as well have been a slithering mass of serpents in that moment. The jade stone in his fist burned as bright as the sun.

"Gods, no!" I heard Seeley beg from under Nephrite's grasp as he stared up at the horrifying face of my companion, "Y- you're one of them!"

"You killed my men." Nephrite growled at Seeley and I distinctly heard the raspy overtones of a woman's voice mingled with his own. It was _her_ voice! It was as if she were guiding his hand!

Nephrite flourished his saber again and gouged Seeley's jaw in the same place he had before. The old sailor cried out and thrashed but to no avail. Nephrite forced the sword upward and the blade cut through his jaw and his tongue. I distinctly remember seeing the glistening silver blade appear in his mouth, dripping with blood. His baleful screams echoed in the bay as Nephrite continued to drive the blade up.

"You killed my men!" he hollered louder.

With a final mighty shove he forced the cutlass through the roof of Seeley's mouth, splitting flesh, cartilage, and bone as the sword dug its way through the old sailor's skull. When his cries ceased trails of blood began to trickle out of his nose and from the corners of his lifeless eyes. The hilt of Nephrite's sword was pressed up against his jaw he had shoved the blade in so hard. With a satisfied shrug he stood up and placed his boot on the dead mariner's face and pulled his sword free with a sickening tear.

What was left of the crowd of onlookers fled in terror at the sight and Nephrite turned around with an unnerving, satisfied grin plastered on his face. I had to take a step back and surprisingly even the silent Lieutenant Skinner backed away with me giving Nephrite a wide berth. He turned to the two guards who still lingered with their broken swords and they immediately turned their backs on him and ran inside the mansion, slamming the doors shut behind them. It was then I noticed that Vissen was still standing on the porch, shaking as his eyes beheld the bloody sight below him.

"Are you finished now?" I asked, my voice caught somewhere between disgust and relief.

Nephrite unexpectedly smiled back at me and laid a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it lightly. I noticed that the torment and wracking evil that had so recently assailed him was now gone as though it had never come at all. His hand flipped that ridiculous stone, now dim and pale, back into his pocket. Nephrite slapped my shoulder again and even managed a dry chuckle. It was as if the entire week had never occurred and it chilled me to the bone to see my companion revert to his original commanding yet outwardly cheerful disposition so quickly.

"What's done is done." he said finally.

"Indeed." I replied, attempting to keep from gritting my teeth as my rage began to boil only now surfacing after witnessing such a horrific act.

"Come, Zoisite!" he called after me cheerfully as he and Lieutenant Skinner began the descent back down towards the ocean, although the latter now lagged a generous distance behind his captain, "We'll return to the _Gemini_ and be ready to sail for home within the hour!"

I watched as his crowing locks of chestnut disappeared over the horizon before I let out a sigh of relief from the depths of my being. I brought my hands to the sides of my head and rubbed my temples trying to replay the last few moments in my head but I found extreme difficulty concentrating. The land around me felt stained as though something altogether evil and unholy had desecrated it. Sure as I was that Nephrite's blasphemous act came from a dark part of his soul I knew it could not have had the effect I was now feeling. It was as if something else had been there with us, something horrible that forced Nephrite's hand and delighted in his suffering. Perhaps it was some lingering hope that Nephrite had not consciously killed Seeley in such gruesome fashion but I keenly remember feeling another leering presence on the top of that hill: the loathsome woman we had so briefly seen on the _Celeste_.

Suddenly I became aware that Vissen was still nearby. He was white as newly fallen snow and he was still visibly shaking. I stepped over Seeley's corpse and walked onto the porch to stand next to him.

"Vissen?" I asked in a hushed tone.

"I'm just a fisherman." he spoke in a distant voice, "Just a fisherman …"

I shook my head and hazarded a question, "Why did you help us back in Acheron?"

"What?"

"You stabbed Tijgre in the back to save Nephrite." I reminded him, "Why did you help us if you were trying to protect Seeley?"

He shook his head and replied slowly, "A voice. There was a voice inside my head."

"A _woman's _voice?" I asked hoping to gain some insight as to her identity.

Vissen nodded and spoke, "It … _she_ told me to … ki-"

He choked on the word and dropped to his knees in convulsions. I stayed with him, grabbed his hand and tried to calm his destroyed nerves. He coughed and wretched horribly and I noticed a black stain mingled with the saliva and bile that ran down the corners of his mouth: the vile, oily blood of a _youma_ of the Dark Kingdom.

Before I could pull myself to my feet Vissen swiped at me with his left hand and I tumbled backwards down the steps of the mansion, over Seeley's body. Vissen sprang down off the porch with the speed of a mountain lion. His eyes swam with darkness and his teeth sharpened into horrible fangs. The nails on his hands elongated and sheared through the leather gloves he wore. Whatever was left of the kindly sailor I'd befriended in the tavern was lost, replaced by one of the hateful wraiths in the service of our enemy.

As I watched the monster lunge towards me I couldn't help but wonder how far the taint of the Dark Kingdom reached into Elysion. Here on the outskirts of the kingdom I'm sure agents of the shadowy rebellion could disguise themselves and walk among the general population undetected. I suddenly became extremely self conscious and scolded myself for not being able to detect such a presence in the first place. However, I immediately found myself contemplating a harsh possibility: Vissen was not a youma to begin with.

The creature's sharpened nails slashed the air in front of me as I leapt backwards and was forced to roll into a somersault to right myself. I drew my saber and charged, parrying the deadly claws and dragging the edge of my blade against the leather clothes the monster still wore. A gash across its chest did little to slow its advance and I suddenly found myself on the defensive again. I leapt into the air and propelled myself backwards with a flip, landing on one knee a good distance away from the youma. It instinctively charged me again but the distance afforded me time to construct the necessary verses in my mind.

I pointed the palm of my free hand at the creature and fanned my fingers out to better facilitate the flow of energy. By manipulating the very air around me I constructed a wall of force that stopped the creature in its tracks. It slammed into the invisible wall as though one made of brick had suddenly sprung up in front of it. With a gesture forward I sent the wall crashing into the youma and forced it backwards and to its knees. I quickly released the spell and charged. The youma stumbled to its feet and lashed out with its claws but I managed to parry its attack and severed the right arm near the elbow.

With no defense left I plunged the blade of my sword through the demon's heart and quickly jumped away. The creature let out a painful bellow as its leathery skin cracked and peeled away. To my ultimate horror the youma dissolved in sickly clouds of green and black leaving a haggard and dying Vissen lying on the ground with my saber still protruding from his chest. I ran over to him, quickly knelt by his side and pulled out the sword in one motion. He convulsed and coughed blood but managed to steel himself to look me in the eye.

"Zoisite!" he gasped and clutched my arm with his remaining hand in a vice like grip.

"Vissen, hold on!" I shouted quickly unbuttoning his shirt and laying my hand over the stabbing wound in his chest as I prepared to invoke a healing spell in a last ditch effort to save him.

The sailor then moved his hand and forced mine away with a chuckle. I wanted to protest and continue my pitiful attempt to save his life but I found myself silently resigned to his fate.

"I'm sure Havik and Tijgre will be happy to see me." he said and nearly began to choke on his weary breaths, "No point keeping them waiting."

"How did this happen to you?" I asked, hoping beyond hope that he could shed some light onto what evil befell Nephrite.

"It just … happened." he replied cryptically, "I wanted to help you! I wanted to believe that we could keep this war from ever reaching Acheron, but …"

"You did help me, Vissen." I assured him sorrowfully, "More than you know."

"Your friend is a good man." Vissen unexpectedly said with a wrenching cough, "I could see it … when I was aboard his ship, but in his eyes …"

Vissen suddenly began to fade as his body failed him. I reached down to cast my healing spell hoping that I can at least ease the pain of his passing but his hand shot to my wrist and threatened to squeeze the life out of it.

"_I_ was a good man!" he croaked as tears fell down his cheeks, "And look what h- happened to me!" He wheezed his final words which chilled me to the bone: "Save _him_!"

With that the sailor's eyes finally dimmed and slumped lifelessly to the earth. I sat near him for several moments before finally prying his hand off my arm and laying it at his side. I reached up and forced his eyelids closed. I was about to stand and leave the gruesome scene behind when I glint caught my eye. A stone had slid out of Vissen's pocket and was lying next to him. I picked it up and immediately felt a rush of curious energy which dissipated almost instantly. It was the same feeling I experienced when I first met Vissen; an echo of his emotions and energy. The stone was smooth and mostly white, but with a blue-green tinge. I recognized it as a rare stone that traders called "fish eye."

The similarities were overwhelming. I desperately wanted to run as fast as I could down to the water's edge and throw myself into the ocean, I felt so unclean at that moment. I felt as if I had been saturated by blood and by whatever foulness had defiled the land. I let the stone fall from my hand and it settled on Vissen's still chest. I took to my feet and turned away.

As I started to move I found I was anchored in place. The world around me lost its color and all turned to gray ash. My breaths felt heavy as though I were breathing thick smog and my eyes strained to see a figure that stood before me where one did not stand moments before. It was the woman from the _Celeste_, the one who had cast some terrible spell over Nephrite and drove him to such gruesome excess over the course of our voyage. Her velvety dress covered her down past her feet and seemed to meld into the earth itself. Her savage ruby nails protruded from bony hands hanging at her sides. A gaunt face etched with a malicious grin was framed by billowing waves of crimson partially pushed back with a v-shaped obsidian crown set with an oval aquamarine diadem.

"You!" I gasped, though speech was a painful act as the presence of a crushing, evil force sapped the strength and will from my body.

"You weren't supposed to join Nephrite on this voyage." She spoke in a voice soaked with confidence and power.

"Name yourself!" I ordered and drew my sword with as much grit as I could muster which was practically none at all; I felt even more drained.

"To call yourselves the Four Heavenly Kings implies that you should have a Queen." The dark vixen spoke and reached out to draw her blood-red claws across my face, "In time you will _all_ come to know your Queen."

"I don't wish to know you." I whispered as it was all I could muster, "I wish to _kill_ you!"

She laughed at my statement; a piercing, roiling cackle with undertones of an undulating primal growl. She took her hands away from my face and her golden eyes began to glow with power and as I stared helplessly into them I became acutely aware my mind being invaded by her presence. It was as though she were bottling up the memory of this meeting and burying it on farthest, darkest shelf in the corner of my subconscious. She did not speak again, she only smiled. Her sickening smile spoke every word she needed to say. I tried to lunge forward with my blade, but the woman had faded and the memory of her meeting faded with her.

It is only now in my telling of this tale that I can recall that fateful meeting. At the time it was as though it had never happened and all my memories of that woman, that self-styled queen were locked away in some awful magical vault that I wasn't even aware of in my own mind.

I remember afterwards that I was moving. The forest flew past me in a blur as the city of Acheron loomed into view once again. I had left Seeley's mansion and the grim scene there behind me. I knew Nephrite would be waiting for me, a changed man though he was. I knew the _Gemini_ would be ready to depart and I could only hope that I would be able to maintain my wits about me on the voyage home until I could consult with my Master Endymion about all I had seen and experienced on this harrowing voyage. I only hoped that between his council and the wisdom of the remaining Shitennou that we could discern exactly what had happened.

As I approached the ship I saw Nephrite standing near the edge of the vessel in eerily the same position I remembered him in when I began this tale. He was once again smiling and shouting orders to his crew who enthusiastically obeyed. Catching my eye as I approached he waved to me to come aboard as though we were only just embarking on this awful trip.

As I climbed the gangplank of his flagship for the final time I reflected back on the brooding, emotional Nephrite I had come to know in the last week. Concerned and frightened enough as I was under the horrifying gaze of that tormented persona I was now doubly so witnessing his return to his original personality. To indulge in such evil was one thing; to lock it away entirely at will was quite another.

I dreaded the day it would rear up and consume Nephrite completely.


	8. Interlude 1

**INTERLUDE**

Luna saw the pain scrawled on Zoisite's face as his words began to drift off. Suddenly the godlike nobility of the Shitennou that those on the Moon endeared for many years seemed little more than a far off fairy tale. Perhaps it was her own naiveté but Luna felt a great emptiness within her heart having heard the horrific story of the fall of a man as great as Nephrite. She lifted her eyes to meet Zoisite's and he turned back towards her after studying the floor for several moments.

"What became of him?" she hazarded to ask.

"Nephrite has been missing for several weeks." Zoisite replied evenly, "When we returned from our voyage to Acheron he was met with praise and accolades. He accepted them in turn and with renewed fervor he pledged his loyalty to Endymion and the Elysian kingdom, but …"

"He was a changed man." Luna finished as the Shitennou's words begin to fade.

"You are remarkably perceptive, Luna." he complimented with a glistening grin, "Nephrite began to draw ever inward, secluding himself for days at a time in his study or in his private observatory. He spent hours just studying the stars."

"Stars?" she asked, "You mentioned that before, that it was his hobby."

"It was, but it become something more" Zoisite continued, "After the incident at Acheron, Nephrite resigned his naval commission. He said his skills would be better served on the front lines in the coming conflict as he had seen no indication that the Dark Kingdom even possessed a seafaring force beyond the small vessels they captured to use as transports."

"In consultation with Endymion he became increasingly cryptic and distant. When he spoke of strategy he likened the deployment of infantry and cavalry to the movement of the stars in the heavens. He was drawn to astrological literature, mysticism, and philosophy saying that the movements of the constellations could foreshadow future events."

"Fortune telling?" Luna wondered aloud as she stroked her chin with a long nail.

"Much more than that. There is a school of thought among practitioners of astrology that by carefully translating the motions of the heavens a powerful sorcerer can directly affect the actions of an individual." Zoisite explained as he gestured upwards to the cloudy sky and the infinite cosmos beyond.

"You believe Nephrite is attempting to master such a power?" Luna asked hurriedly.

"I don't know." Zoisite replied with a defeated sigh, "But if he is then he will command a powerful force which could be devastating in the wrong hands."

"The woman you described in your story, the queen with red hair, it was Queen Beryl?" Luna asked knowing full well the answer.

"I don't know how she does what she does, how she moves from place to place undetected and leaves no trace of her presence behind." Zoisite told her seeming almost frustrated at the declaration, "I believe she has been attempting to turn Nephrite's allegiances ever since we first caught sight of her on the _Celeste_."

"And if Nephrite were to join her with this star-power you speak of…" Luna postulated.

"He could single-handedly turn every man, woman and child in Elysion to the Dark Kingdom." Zoisite confirmed.

"How dreadful!" Luna gasped and imagined the imposing shadow of a warrior drilling its way into someone's subconscious mind and ripping away their free will, "And whatever sorcery Beryl employs, it is connected to these stones you spoke of?"

"Indeed." Zoisite explained with the barest ounce of hope lacing the otherwise hopeless statement, "Queen Beryl planted a seed of evil within Nephrite that day, gestating on his violent tendencies and amplifying the darker aspects of his nature. My only hope is that wherever Nephrite has gone that he is confronting the demon within him."

"Do you think he could have already fallen to the Dark Kingdom?" Luna asked hesitantly.

Zoisite's eyes burned into the woman's and his hands clenched into fists. He forced a breath out and replied, "If he has then I fear for all of us."

Luna pondered the somber statement before she allowed her body to drift closer to the imposing figure before her. Even though she had seen first-hand the darkness that weighed him down and forced him to wrestle with his very soul she now felt strangely calm in his presence. She boldly rested her hand on the sleeve Zoisite's luxurious white jacket and gave his arm a reassuring squeeze.

"As long as Endymion has loyal soldiers like you at his side I see little reason to worry." Luna attempted to encourage him.

The Shitennou seemed markedly amused by her feeble attempt at reassurance but thanks her all the same. The pair began move down the hallway together as Zoisite continued his story.

"After a week's respite following our voyage to Acheron I was informed that an envoy from your home kingdom would be arriving to indulge in formal discussions for the Earth's entry into the Silver Alliance." Zoisite spoke, "Such a move on the part of my Master could only mean that he was seeking aid from Queen Serenity to combat the looming threat of the Dark Kingdom."

He continued, "My master is a courageous, valorous man who has seen many hours in pitched battles himself but in diplomatic efforts I hazard to say that he is still very much a novice."

"Perhaps he is simply distracted by the threat of war." Luna assumed.

"Perhaps, but I find myself most useful to my Master in a room of debate rather than in a room of war." Zoisite elaborated as they continued walking, "And lately I believe his distractions originate from a more _subtle_ place."

"What do you mean?"

Zoisite offered Luna a knowing smile and his voice once again settled into the dulcet tones of a storyteller as his eyes reflected the shining light of the passing torches. The memory he was pulling to the surface obviously filled him with warmth.

"Do choose your words carefully when you relate this story to your Queen." Zoisite requested more than outright warned, "Though I am sure she is resourceful and intelligent enough to have deduced it on her own by now."

"What are you talking about?" Luna asked with lips curling into a grin against her wishes at the thought of the forthcoming tale.

"Endymion …" Zoisite said enjoying another private chuckle, "He fell in love."

"With?"

"A rabbit." Zoisite replied and placed his hand on Luna's shoulder, ushering her to a nearby stone bench, "From the Moon."


	9. Chapter 6, Spring in Elysion

**SIX**

**Spring in Elysion**

Spring in Elysion is a glorious time. In the dark, chilling throes of the winter I begin to anticipate her coming. I find myself alone in the icy corridors of the castle or under a bleak, gray sky longing for the warmth of new light. Perhaps it is the connection I share to my home planet but I feel at my most content and focused in the spring. With my emotions at their peak my mind blossoms as new life spreads throughout the land. I can feel my soul thrill with excitement as I walk through Elysion's verdant meadows under the impossibly blue skies. The rushing water of a newly thawed stream, the beauty of the growing trees, the colors of life; all of it revitalizes me in a way I can't fully express.

I remember walking through the marble and granite streets of the capital city one early spring morning and thinking that everything, even the stoic, unchanging stone that made up the terraces and facades of the city had been blessed with new life. Faces passed me unhindered by the depressions and doldrums of winter. Within the city walls all Elysion's citizens were vibrant, cheerful, and friendly. I am not nearly as gracious with the public as Jadeite, perhaps to my fault, but even on that day I found myself several times sidetracked by greetings and idle conversation by those nobles and commoners I passed. That day, of all days, I was willing to give freely of my time.

I allowed myself the indulgence of wearing my formal dress uniform that morning. I so enjoyed that snow-white jacket and its matching pants, threaded with the finest silks and adorned with polished silver epaulettes and buttons. I had taken to wearing a sheer, spider silk cloak that billowed and fluttered behind me in the slightest breeze. It would be the acme of foolishness to deny my own vanity. I know that the nobility of Elysion, like all kingdoms, can and will lapse into opulence and apathy if allowed, but I firmly believe that to win the hearts and minds of those powerful men and women that shape the political landscape of a country you must first appeal to their baser instincts, thus my continual attention to the finer points of fashion and trends.

By the time I had reached my intended destination, the sprawling central square, I found I had amassed a crowd at least two dozen strong following at my heels. My eyes were lifted skyward as I was awed once more by the gleaming towers that framed the four sides of the courtyard. The buildings stood so tall that the square itself felt more like an artificial canyon than a civil structure. The square was built of polished white marble blocks measuring more than two hundred yards in all directions. The center of the square featured an elaborate fountain with twelve tiered pools and sixty individual spouts of water. I'd yet to fully comprehend its workings but the rushing fountain somehow powered a grand clock at its peak; a gift from the Moon Kingdom herself.

At the far end of the square stood the capital palace. Its great marble stairway stretched the entire width of the square and climbed as high as the roofs of the senatorial buildings that framed it on either side of the courtyard. The columns that supported the palace façade were ringed with inlaid spirals of gold. Every corner and straight edge of the palace was accented in luscious gold appointments. At its peak the capital building was topped with an onion-shaped dome completely covered in gold leaf and it shone like a star itself as it reflected the sun's rays. There was little question as to why Elysion was sometimes referred to as the Golden Kingdom.

I turned to the posse at my back and dismissed myself politely to choruses of thanks and praise while I began to ascend the stairs of the capital. Politicians and philosophers stood at talked at various heights debating the essences of the universe. I had to restrain myself from interjecting my thoughts and opinions on the various topics I heard along my climb. I passed under the column-supported façade to face the final flight of stairs. The crowd of dignitaries became denser and I recognized many senators and provincial representatives who all gave nods of recognition, or at most a formal bow.

The stairs ended at the main doors of the building which were perpetually propped open and posted with guards at all times. The two armored sentinels tipped their halberds away from my path but otherwise remained stoic and motionless. I passed them by with an appreciative glance and entered the palace proper which opened into a wide hallway that pitched upward on an incline stretching many yards ahead and above me. Wrought iron arches supported the ceiling and impressively formed oil lamps that lit the interior of the building. For as large as the palace appeared on the outside it featured very few internal appointments save for several auxiliary sitting rooms to hold debating diplomats.

I ascended the hallway to where it leveled off at the center of the palace. This room was the heart of Elysion, at least from a governmental standpoint. The room was a mammoth circular amphitheater that sat beneath the gilded dome at the very center of the capital building. I stood at the highest level, easily two stories above the debate floor. Rows upon rows of tiered, theater-style terraces descended into the atrium. The terraces were built of marble floors with brushed iron and gold railings separating them and adorned with rich mahogany and cherry wood furniture including comfortable chairs and small, functional tables.

This place was the Ring of Law where all of Elysion's elected officials gathered to debate civil law, trade policy, ethics, morality, religion, and all other aspects of life within the kingdom. It was here that I felt most at ease in my function as a Shitennou. Even though I was an accomplished soldier and military general it was within the realm of words that I waged my wars where subtlety, a fast tongue, and confidence were as strong as a legion of fierce soldiers. Within the Ring of Law I had no equal, at least not until Endymion would take the floor.

I walked along the perimeter of the ring listening to a heated discussion rising from the center of the room where one of the elder senators raised a motion to cut import tariffs on certain commodities being traded from Venus. Key among his movement was the unusually high tax on that golden planet's honey-based liquor that they called Ambrosia after the legendary food of the gods. I had to chuckle at the furious conviction as he delivered his address. I could easily visualize Nephrite with his love of fine spirits in the crowd of rapt dignitaries, shaking his fist in the air and cheering his support of the motion.

I turned the handle on a heavy wooden door just as the final chorus of applause rang up from the assembled crowd. Of the few ancillary rooms in the capital building, I had claimed one as my private office. It was located along the outer ring under the dome. Much of the far wall was a panoramic lead crystal window affording a spectacular view of the eastern corner of the capital square. As was customary my desk was piled high with scrolls newly arrived from all corners of the kingdom. I would take my time sifting through them and reply in my own hand to as many as I could before I filtered down the requests and demands to their proper offices. While many senators and consulars boasted apprentices and servants to mete out their menial tasks to I took great care in overseeing all aspects of my office. If nothing else it served to occupy my time.

I took my seat behind the desk allowing the midday sun pouring through the window to warm me to the bone. I was about to begin reading through the scrolls which amounted to my daily mail when the iron bolt on my door turned. My eyes followed the twin rows of bookcases framing my office back to the door as it swung open and my visitor stepped inside. I didn't gasp aloud but my back stiffened and I let out an aggravated sigh before relaxing in my chair again. Kunzite had a way of always startling people even when he was simply coming and going.

"I figured I'd find you here." my fellow Shitennou said to me in his powerfully commanding voice as he walked towards me and left the door open to the commotion in the Ring of Law.

"Where else _but_ here?" I asked back while unrolling one of the first parchments "Buried among my mountains of fan mail."

He chuckled quietly and dragged one of the leather bound chairs across the carpet to sit opposite from my desk. As he sat down and folded his legs I was struck by how even in his casual attire Kunzite exuded the authority and power of his position as Endymion's chief advisor, tactician, and closest friend. This day Kunzite wore a simple white shirt that he habitually left unbuttoned halfway down his chest to display his trim physique to anyone who cared to look, though not out of vanity, he simply likedit that way. He allowed the cuffs of his gray pants to cover the tops of his polished boots and he carried a gray and blue cloak folded under his arm. The sunlight glinted off the golden ankh talisman that hung around his neck on a black cord.

"Get anything good today?" he asked as he began rummaging through the stack of papers looking for one to catch his interest.

"I don't know." I sighed back casually, "I just got in a moment ago and you're interrupting my first batch."

"Awfully late start for you." Kunzite said with a furrowed brow.

"I took a long walk through the gardens this morning and spent an uncharacteristic amount of time mingling out in the square." I related the events of my day as I reclined, arms woven together behind my head.

"Spring is in the air." he half-sung with a grin.

"What about you?" I asked, gesturing to the king, "Shouldn't you be out barking orders at one of the barracks somewhere?"

"No training this week." Kunzite replied mocking severe disappointment, "No hides to tan; and I'll thank you that I don't bark, I _rasp_. Barking is Nephrite's department."

"Yes, to the dogs with him!" I joked and slammed my fist down on the table.

"I heard that." a gruff voice announced from the doorway and Nephrite sauntered into the room with a smirk working its way onto his face.

"Hey!" Kunzite growled at him as he spun around in the chair, "No pets allowed in the capital building!"

"That's very funny." Nephrite deadpanned and pulled another chair alongside Kunzite, taking a seat after throwing his long, brown leather coat across the back of it.

Garbed in his favorite attire of darkly stylish red and brown leathers, Nephrite once again carried himself with the air and composure of his noble station. I was fearful for him all the same, though I dismissed much of my concern to my own quiet ponderings. After the formal meeting with Endymion following our incident in Acheron, Nephrite had not spoken of it. To any casual observer it would seem as though the terrible voyage had never even occurred. Indeed it seemed that Nephrite himself wanted nothing more than to put the past behind him and forge ahead with his military career. When the shock of his resignation from the navy wore off a new elation spread across the gossip tables of Elysion when it was revealed that he would be given command of a contingent of Endymion's favored cavalry units.

Still, I knew what he had seen and more importantly what he had done. A new accessory hung around a leather thong dangling from Nephrite's neck. It was a jade stone, partially hidden under the collar of his shirt. I averted my eyes from it and made a note to ask him at some other juncture why he'd insisted on keeping a token from such a harrowing voyage.

"Anything good?" Nephrite asked, echoing Kunzite as he too rifled through my pile of scrolls.

"Is there a sign on my door begging any curious passers-by to pick through my daily mail?" I asked attempting to sound irritated, "Because I don't remember putting one up."

"Don't be so dramatic, Zoisite." Kunzite chided, "You know full well you're going to pawn half of this off on the correspondence office."

"Point taken, but you're still invading the privacy of _my_ office." I continued.

"The door was open." Nephrite was quick to observe.

"He left it open when he forced his way in here threatening me with bodily harm if I tried to resist his advances!" I defended, shaking my index finger wildly in Kunzite's direction.

"Hah!" Kunzite snapped back with a solitary howl of laughter, "What a vibrant imagination you have."

"What, that you barged in his office uninvited?" Nephrite asked knowing well that it was one of Kunzite's less desirable habits.

"No, that I'd force myself on him." Kunzite snuffed back haughtily, "As if I'd settle for such lowly prey."

We all broke out into a chorus of laughter, I probably the loudest of all much to the chagrin of the assembled dignitaries in the auditorium below us. I've been told I possess a rather shrill, piercing laugh; no doubt one of the many traits I inherited from my mother whose essence apparently dominated my conception. I vaguely remember her face, framed by endless copper tresses and eyes as emerald green as the Elysian Fields. It's so strange that's all I can remember of my family, but it has been so long, ages even.

The two men in front of me laughing and carrying on in spite of the volumes of work on my desk are my family, as they have been for generations. We are brothers whose shared blood is of the Earth itself. We may not have been born from the same parents or even conceived in the same corner of the planet but we are brothers all the same. The Shitennou will forever be tied to the fate of the mother Earth and this is a fundamental belief that is never far from my waking thoughts.

"I've been thinking about getting away for a few days." Kunzite announced. I was quite sure Nephrite endured a seizure at those words and I was just as shocked to hear them.

"Y- you're … what?" Nephrite stuttered in amazement.

"Don't start, either of you." Kunzite responded with a less than savory growl.

"Kunzite, I don't think I've ever seen you outside the city gates save for military campaigns since I've known you." I said trying to remember any stand-out incidents.

"It's like you're married to your army." Nephrite laughed and gently grazed the silver-haired Shitennou's shoulder with his fist.

"Try that again and you'll suddenly become expert in single armed combat." Kunzite threatened through a fake grin.

"Ooh, so belligerent today, Kunzite!" Nephrite chided his superior.

"Maybe you do need a vacation." I added.

"Maybe I do." Kunzite answered with a shrug, "And maybe I was going to invite you along, but now …"

Nephrite and I immediately put on our best masks of innocence and I pleaded, "Come now, Lord Kunzite, you know we spoke only in jest."

"Hmm, your sincerity is staggering." Kunzite snuffed at us and crossed his arms across his chest, "Perhaps a showing of good will is in order." He rubbed his chin for a moment before flashing a dastardly grin, "Fight to the death for my amusement."

"All right!" Nephrite agreed far too enthusiastically and reached to the scabbard at his side.

I was about to open my mouth to accuse them both of treason when a fourth voice interrupted, "Gentlemen, please!"

Suddenly all eyes were on the door as Endymion entered with a childish grin etched across his youthful yet stately features. He was dressed in the same uniform Elysian princes had worn since the tradition started generations ago: a snow white suit, very nearly a tuxedo, trimmed in gold with the gaudiest tasseled epaulettes in the kingdom covering his shoulders. A shimmering white sash was draped across his chest, woven in with a similar belt at his waist that held his ceremonial sword at his hip.

We all stood in attention at once. In his rush to show his respect Nephrite's hip collided with my desk and he let a barely audible moan escape his clenched lips. Amused, Endymion ushered us back to ease with a dismissive wave of his hand and another chuckle.

"I can't have my best men cutting each other apart for one man's amusement." our Master continued and laid a hand on Kunzite's shoulder, "At least wait until there's a more substantial crowd."

We all laughed with him as we were prone to doing. Among our small group there was a shared sense of revelry which kept us all away from each other's throats even in the tensest debates and most pitched battles. The bonds of respect forged between us were unbreakable though we sometimes had differing opinions as all friends do. Never once, however, have we reached a point where we were unable to forgive, forget, and move on. Such is the bond shared between the Master and his Shitennou.

Kunzite was closer to Endymion than any other man on Earth. He had been with our Master since before I could remember. When Endymion came of age Kunzite was there to train him in the martial ways of warfare. He was his personal tutor on all subjects ranging from strategy to swordsmanship and Endymion is still, to my knowledge, the only man who would openly challenge Kunzite to a duel with a strong chance of coming out the victor. I've yet to discern whether or not Kunzite holds back during these exhibitions for the public but I highly doubt he would be able to given his respect for the prince and his desire to see him excel beyond his own ability. Many a time Kunzite has incurred vicious wounds at the hands of his own Master only to rebound and strike several of his own before the bouts were called on account of unnecessary bloodshed. Each time the duel ended in the two men carrying each other arm-in-arm off the field while their peals of laughter cut through the shouts of the healers attempting to mend them.

There is much more I could tell of my Master but much of it would simply be a plagiarism of what historians and scribes have recorded about him in the past. The armies fear him, the politicians revere him, and the masses adore him. More than this, he returns this affection down to the very last child. He has been criticized of course, but that is to be expected of any monarch. Some say he is far too lenient when it comes to keeping Elysion's borders under guard. Others say his blatant disregard of tradition is an insult to his predecessors that built the country. Many claim that his unconditional trust of the member planets of the Silver Alliance is a sign of complacency and the future homogenization of our culture.

Perhaps the most vicious critique of my Master is his continued unpopular relations with the kingdom on the Moon. It is common knowledge that Endymion and Queen Serenity forged a friendship when Endymion was only a child. The seemingly timeless monarch took the young prince under her wing after the deaths of Endymion's parents and she reared him on the philosophies and moral codes of the Silver Millennium teaching tolerance, tenacity, and compassion. However, for as benevolent as the Queen is many of the simple folk living on the Earth rebuke and revile those of the Moon for their unnatural longevity, intelligence, and extravagant lifestyle. Chief among their gripes was the perceived arrogance of the Moon Kingdom itself in casting itself in the role of "protector" of the earth.

It was no secret that the Moon Kingdom had pledged itself to watch over the earth and while we knew that Queen Serenity's aim was to keep us and all the planets safe from threats from beyond our solar system, many of the common folk rebuked the Moon for treating them, as they perceived, as little more than untrained pets who needed constant supervision. It is a very old animosity brimming on outright mistrust and hatred though there had never been any physical conflict between our kingdoms.

Of course, if knowledge of our Master's secret courtship of a certain Princess of the Moon were to ever be made public I am loathe to consider the consequences. If there is one argument that has yet to resolve itself among our ranks it is this. We attempt not to speak of it, to treat it as though it isn't there, but still we watch from afar. Endymion has, mercifully, halted his reckless, youthful tendency to slip away and travel in disguise to the Moon itself, but that does not stop Princess Serenity, the daughter of the Queen herself, from smuggling herself to the Earth in the guise of a hooded traveler once every few weeks. During those clandestine encounters we watch from afar, keeping a silent vigil over our Master.

Still, I cannot downplay the importance that the Moon and Serenity's graces have had on my Master's life. The Queen's teachings coupled with his natural aptitude in the magical arts and his training at the hands of the palace guard readied Endymion to command a world in the throes of civil war. It is thanks to his perseverance and unwavering faith in mankind that Elysion, for the most part, has consolidated itself and prospered. Of course we, his friends, would tease that it was simply a random string of impossibly good luck, but that is beside the point …

"Perhaps you'd join me on holiday, Endymion?" Kunzite offered and glanced over his shoulder at Nephrite and I, "The present company is giving me little reason to extend them my offer."

"That's exceptionally cold." I pouted and laid my head down on my folded arms, "Even for the King of Ice." My latter statement was meant to poke fun at Kunzite's preferred magical practices dealing with all things frigid.

"I have to approve your leave before you can go off inviting anyone to keep you company." Endymion replied, "Where are you planning on heading?"

"There's an isolated community on the south coast I came across on one of my training marches." Kunzite answered, "It's off the beaten path, perched on a cliff overlooking the sea, very picturesque. It looked like a good place to get lost for a while."

Endymion's brow furrowed and he glanced towards Nephrite and I. We both shrugged in response and he turned back to Kunzite with a quizzical glare.

"What's the name of this isolated paradise?" Endymion asked knowingly.

"Um …" Kunzite stalled and his thumb and forefinger traced his jaw line, "I think it's called Minoc."

Endymion rolled his eyes and Nephrite laughed while I said, "Minoc is overrun and constantly at war with the three largest pirate guilds in world."

"Really?" Kunzite asked, feigning ignorance, "And here I thought all the explosions were nightly firework displays!"

"Leave it to Kunzite to vacation in a war zone." Nephrite chuckled.

"What do you say, Endymion?" Kunzite asked expectantly and glanced up at Endymion with a wide grin.

"I think I have to decline." Endymion replied, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "Aside from the fact that we would start an unsanctioned government incident, it would be a grossly unfair fight."

"They probably do number in the thousands." Kunzite said disappointedly.

"I know." Endymion replied grinning slyly, "Unfair for them."

We all laughed again. It was amazing how often our conversations ended with at least one of us getting into a battle far over our heads that we somehow miraculously escaped from unfazed. It was no secret that in the past Endymion and his Shitennou had been the deciding factor in several military campaigns where our experience, speed, and skill had single handedly destroyed enemy fortifications, cut through whole lines of infantry, or sacked a village without drawing a sword.

"We should be on our way soon." Endymion announced and we all stood along with him as he motioned to the door of my office, "We're expecting some esteemed guests within the hour."

Nephrite groaned as he draped his coat over his shoulder, "Is it really necessary for all of us to greet them at the Gates?"

"It is and I'll ask you in advance to put on your happy face. And expect a jab in the ribs if I see you scowling." Endymion said and narrowed his gaze at Nephrite.

"Absolutely, Prince." Nephrite answered flatly.

"The entire lunar delegation is coming this time?" I asked, walking out from behind my desk, "What do you suppose that means?"

"I'm hoping it means that they're finally ready to take these peace accords seriously." the prince replied as we began to make our way out into the Ring of Law, "Queen Serenity has been fighting for me all these years and to send a delegation from each planet of the Alliance can only bode well in my opinion."

"Unless they all want to be here to say 'No' at the same time." Kunzite added.

"Your glass is perpetually half empty, isn't it?" I asked him over my shoulder.

"I don't look at that old axiom in that way." Kunzite replied as if he'd spent years defining this philosophy, "I see my glass as being neither too full nor too empty."

"How do you see it, then?" I asked.

"My glass is too big." Kunzite replied.

I stopped in my tracks and arched an eyebrow, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means what it means." he replied evenly.

He and Nephrite both brushed past me and Nephrite gave me an awkward glance over his shoulder to indicate he also had very little idea what to make of Kunzite's strange logic. I picked up my pace and soon had to shout over the din of the congregation in the Ring below us.

"With any luck the next time we step into this room it will be with the Silver Alliance to draft a formal treaty!" Endymion shouted over the raucous senators.

"Hopefully, my prince." I answered and before I could begin my next sentence I was cut off by a curious noise fast approaching up the main hallway, "Do you hear that?"

No sooner did the words leave my lips than the repetitive pounding on the floor revealed itself to be a horse galloping at full tilt up the inclined, lacquered floor of the central hallway. A dozen armored guards chased after the regal white steed as its rider expertly maneuvered it through the infuriated crowds of politicians. With a great cry the horse and rider leapt over the top most terraces to land in the center of the sacred senatorial chamber. The guards surrounded them with swords and halberds drawn as the senators and consulars backed away, shouting their disgust at such a blasphemous intrusion.

The rider atop his white horse howled with laughter and removed the feather-plumed, wide-brimmed, navy blue chapeau that obscured his glistening, golden blonde hair. His eyes were blue and piercing, deeper than the oceans, and his uniform was of strikingly similar color, trimmed in bright red with a matching velvet cape trailing behind him. Immediately upon seeing the uncommonly handsome man the guards slacked their stances and looked at each other, confused, before pulling their weapons back. The senators were oddly put off and couldn't come to an agreement as to what to make of the intruder that had just stormed and trampled into their revered auditorium.

Endymion for his part was dismissive and only shook his head with a chuckle before moving off in the direction of the hallway again. Nephrite followed suit shortly after leaving me with Kunzite, whose face was redder than a ripened tomato.

"_JADEITE!_" he thundered across the Ring of Law, "Have you no shame at all?"

"What can I say, Kunzite? It's a new horse!" Jadeite answered back calmly, stroking the back of his mount's neck which whinnied with approval, "I had to break him in properly!"

Nephrite shouted over his shoulder to me, "Make sure Kunzite at least leaves a few pieces of him left to bury!"

"What better place to break a noble steed than the Ring of Law?" Jadeite asked at the top of his lungs, "Here among all the other dreary, long faces!"

He flashed a wide, blindingly bright smile and instantly placated the irate senators who returned his boyish jab and enthusiasm with a round of laughter and spotty applause. Kunzite fumed and I was sure steam was about to escape his ears and he stomped away, issuing Jadeite a less than professional hand gesture in the process which only served to further amuse the generally uptight senators.

"Ladies and gentlemen." Jadeite laughed and replaced his extravagant hat, turning his horse back to the exit hallway, "I relinquish the floor!"

Just as he had come, he was gone and the room howled their delight as Jadeite galloped away, hooting and hollering, and slamming his fist onto the helmets of all the guards he passed in a good natured gesture of appreciation. I shook my head and smiled, sprinting to catch up with Endymion and the rest of my companions hoping that the meeting with the lunar ambassadors would be so interesting.

That day I learned, more than ever, to be careful what I wished for.


	10. Chapter 7, The Nine Princesses

**SEVEN**

**The Nine Princesses**

Interplanetary travel is complicated as I'm sure you know. According to the spotty information historians have been able to piece together it seems that at one time all the tribes of humanity scattered across the planets of our solar system lived in relative harmony with each other. Trade was strong, the arts flourished, and though the planets were not united under one common, democratic banner the worlds of man prospered in concert with each other. In this Golden Millennium, traveling to another planet was as simple as riding to the nearest city. To facilitate the transport the mage-architects of the day constructed titanic ringed structures of enchanted stone arches to act as astral gates.

Eventually the bonds that held the Golden Millennium together began to deteriorate. Jealousy and infighting spread like wildfire almost overnight as militias and rogue armies sprung up across the solar system. Planets began to skirmish with each other over petty arguments until the disagreements eventually erupted into full-scale conflict. A bloody civil war ripped through the solar system and tore the planets apart. Popular legend holds that one particularly gruesome battle which lasted for more than a hundred years stained the surface of Mars red with the blood of millions of fallen soldiers.

Another romantic tale from the period tells that the Queen of Saturn, the most powerful sorceress of her time, wept with such ferocity over the needless slaughter the war brought upon her people that the planet itself could not withstand her raging emotions. The surface of Saturn was blasted apart and the planet became an uninhabitable ball of gas as the broken pieces of her surface collected to become the planet's majestic rings.

At the head of the armies there always stood one solitary figure commanding the swarming masses of soldiers. These were fearsome warriors whose strikes were vicious and whose magical powers were unmatched. These were the _senshi_; female warriors unlike any that came before. At extremely young ages they were sought out and trained, but only one senshi at a time was ever born on any given planet. The old scholars believed these superhuman soldiers existed from the beginning of time and were simply reborn generation after generation; their souls bound to enchanted talismans called "sailor crystals" so named because they were thought to be made of the primordial stuff of creation and "sailed" the vast empty cosmos like a ship on the sea before binding themselves to planets like ours. Strangely enough only one planet out of the entire solar system, the Earth, never produced a senshi but then again, Earth was viewed as something of an untamed, backwater planet at the time and not of great strategic importance so its lack of a senshi was often overlooked.

When the wars finally abated no planet could claim to be the victor. Billions lay slaughtered and the kingdoms of the solar system reeled with the unimaginable cost of rebuilding. Much of the technology that powered the astral gates was lost during this time as archives were razed and the mage-architects were slain. As such, very few gates remained operational and that in and of itself stymied the interplanetary slaughter. At the collapse of the Golden Millennium the entire system was flung into a dark age that lasted for centuries.

Finally, after almost a thousand years a new light began to shine as a beacon of hope for humanity. The Earth's moon, long a place of unknown power and mystery and surprisingly untouched by the costly wars, opened her borders and invited nobles and delegates from all the planets to come together at a peaceful summit. It was here that many laid eyes for the first time on Queen Serenity, an ageless monarch whose compassionate but determined personality and silken voice calmed a hysterical solar system reeling from battle. Under the light of her _Ginzuishou_, the most powerful of the solar system's sailor crystals, the Silver Millennium was born. Unfortunately much of the animosity between the previously warring planets remained and vicious debates were common within the crystalline palaces on the moon.

However, in an extremely controversial move the Queen announced her intention to form an elite cadre of knights to keep the peace and protect all the member planets of the new Silver Alliance. These peacekeepers were to be none other than the famed and feared senshi who fought so tenaciously against each other in the planetary wars. As destiny would have it the bonds they forged to protect and defend the Silver Alliance ran deeper than anyone could know. As one of their primary functions they became the personal advisors and guards of Queen Serenity and her house, conferring with her on all matters public and private. There have been many senshi over the years but they have constantly kept their vigil and have inspired countless thousands with their epic works and heroic deeds.

I always like to replay a bit of history in my mind when I know I'm very shortly going to be _making_ it.

"Do you think they'll send more than one of the senshi?" Kunzite asked quietly to Endymion.

The prince turned to him and replied, "Queen Serenity gave me no indication as to who she'd be sending along with the delegation so your guess is as good as mine."

"The fewer the better." Nephrite grumbled.

"I hate to do it but I have to agree with him." Jadeite sighed heavily and elbowed Nephrite in the ribs, "They're all supposed to be incredibly beautiful."

"That's not what I meant …" Nephrite growled with a roll of his eyes.

"It would be difficult to choose if they were all here." Jadeite continued with a devilish grin.

"Your charms wouldn't get you within ten paces of a senshi." Kunzite berated him, still brooding over the youngest king's antics in the Ring of Law earlier, "They would erase you where you stood before you could bat an eye."

"Apparently Kunzite's been turned down by a senshi before." Jadeite whispered loudly over my shoulder.

"Maybe that's what turned him into such a horse's—" I started to answer.

"That's enough." Endymion interrupted us with an irritated roll of his eyes and both Jadeite and I gave apologetic bows to our Master.

Nephrite cleared his throat in amusement which garnered him a disapproving glance from both Kunzite and the prince. Finally we all fell silent and adjusted our collars and cuffs to look the part of the proper nobles we were supposed to be.

Each of the Shitennou were garbed in our traditional dress uniforms: bright white jackets and pants lined in black and gold piping featuring high collars and epaulets, clasped at the right shoulder by a single jeweled stud and wrapped in a fine white leather belt that held our ceremonial blades. Endymion opted to wear his ceremonial armor for this meeting: black as ebony with a edging of silver on the chest plate with polished steel pauldrons erupting like wings from his shoulders. He was draped in his sprawling velvet cape of black, mirrored on the inside with rich scarlet. He wore his blade at his side and mirror-finished greaves covered his calves down to his boots.

I glanced around the circular room another time and took in the sights: colorless, yet intricately carved walls of white stone that stood only a few feet higher than we did. The roof was partially open, held aloft by a ring of twelve arches. Each arch bore an astrological symbol at its keystone relating to one of the planets of the solar system with some set aside for the larger satellites. I'd seen the astral gates before but I've yet to actually use one. I can only imagine what strange sensation must be placed on the travelers stepping through the enchanted archways.

"How long do they plan on keeping us waiting?" Nephrite complained and glanced over his shoulder at the honor guard standing vigil at the doorway.

"We've only been here for five minutes." Endymion reminded him with a hardened glance, "Don't make me have to forcibly remind you of the virtues of patience."

Nephrite nodded with a roll of his eyes; something only he could get away with. Endymion shrugged along with the rest of us as our eyes all cast towards the center of the room again. After a few moments the air temperature began to drop and we all felt a static charge building around us. The planetary symbols above the arches began to glow with an ethereal blue light and suddenly the room was filled with a new presence. Out of the eleven figures that faded into view from nothingness two of them were male guards in full plate armed with crescent shaped pole-axes while the rest of the entourage was comprised of nine stunningly beautiful women, some no more than girls, dressed to the nines in a rainbow of royal gowns.

I glanced to my left and was not surprised to see Jadeite had gone slack-jawed. Even Kunzite had to force a hard swallow to bury his instinctual desires. Endymion seemed at least outwardly ambivalent while Nephrite expectedly crossed his arms over his chest and diverted his attention to the two guards accompanying the women silently taking their measure in case of a melee. My eyes tried to take in their faces and figures but I found myself somewhat overwhelmed. At last I decided to focus on one face: the one at the head of the group. She was unnervingly beautiful with a glistening sea of golden hair sweeping almost down to her calves and eyes of pure azure, sharp as a diamond's edge. Her slightly upturned lips were blood red and hid an inner mischief that I found myself uncharacteristically interested in uncovering. Her divine figure was wrapped in a billowing dress of gold and white which was almost too blinding to behold and whose semi-sheer nature did very little to conceal the body it covered. I immediately recognized this goddess as a Venusian.

She quickly made her way forward, keeping her eyes trained straight ahead until she stood almost at Endymion's chest and cast her glance up to him in such a position that her ample cleavage was displayed to its maximum potential. I had to smile, impressed that my Master was keeping his wits about him in such a _tense_ situation.

"Endymion." she finally spoke in a voice that raised the hair on the back of my neck with its siren song, "It most certainly has been too long."

"You never fail to make a memorable entrance, Minako." Endymion replied and reached down to bring her hand to his lips.

She accepted his greeting and candidly glanced over his shoulder, replying with a wink, "I guess this is the most memorable entrance a visitor of yours has made in quite some time."

Endymion peered over his shoulder just as Jadeite forced himself to snap his jaw shut and unsuccessfully stifle the lecherous grin spreading across his lips. Endymion sighed inwardly and turned back to Minako who only laughed in return; a curious sound not unlike a bird's chirp. I knew immediately that I was in danger of becoming sorely enchanted with this vixen.

"Prince Endymion, may I introduce you to some of my best friends and brightest acquaintances." she began and stepped back to her group, sweeping her arms about her dress in dramatic fashion as she began to introduce them.

"May I present Ami, the heir to the throne of Mercury." Minako said.

The princess of Mercury took half a step forward and delicately curtsied. She was a soft skinned creature with curiously blue-tinged hair which I recalled was somewhat unique to the planet she hailed from. She presented herself with refined grace and etiquette which I could easily appreciate. Her lavender dress was simple and unadorned and served only to further reinforce her proper, studious nature. I detected a great intellect behind her silvery blue eyes.

"Rei, The Princess of Mars." Minako continued down the line, "High Priestess and spiritual advisor to Queen Serenity herself."

The Martian princess bowed respectfully at the waist causing her sea of raven hair to drape around her like a curtain. She regarded the five of us with burning violet eyes that seemed to hold accusations of crimes we didn't even know we committed yet. A shoulderless dress of bold crimson flowed down to where it collected in sheets on the floor. She wore a silver necklace that held an octagonal ruby near the base of her long neck. Her penetrating gaze only hardened when she saw the roving eyes of Jadeite take particular interest in her.

"My good friend Makoto." Minako continued, "A Warrior-Princess from the forests of Jupiter."

The uncommonly tall princess slightly rolled her eyes at the introduction apparently less than enthused about the title she was given by her companion. Nevertheless she appeared enthusiastic in bowing to our small delegation and her large emerald eyes radiated an irrepressible friendliness that wouldn't be readily apparent to anyone who couldn't get past the notion of her physically powerful, imposing figure. Her chestnut hair was partially held in a ponytail with a few errant strands hanging down in front of her lovely face and shoulders. She wore an elegant emerald dress adorned with an ornately embroidered leaf pattern.

"Hotaru of Saturn." the Venusian introduced a very young looking girl, "Her planet's Princess and one of the most accomplished practitioners of magic in the Titan School of the Arcane."

This startlingly thin girl's face flushed, contrasting sharply with her obsidian eyes as she stepped forward and bowed so delicately that I feared she might snap in two at the waist. He dress was of black velvet, like her perfectly trimmed shoulder-length hair and featured an elaborate violet sash of opposing diamonds reaching from shoulder to shoulder. Any normal man would see nothing to fear in such a frail looking youth but my senses were alight just beholding her. She possessed a frightening power buried beneath her bashful exterior.

"Haruka and Michiru." Minako said next, "Two Princesses from Uranus and Neptune, respectively."

These two women stood unexpectedly close to one another as they bowed. I immediately saw Nephrite's spine stiffen as his eyes landed on the taller of the two, Haruka. I noticed as well that she bore a striking resemblance to the senshi from Uranus who so casually bested Nephrite in combat at a previous summit and was most likely the same person. She almost scowled at us and subtly placed herself in front of her companion. The Princess' eyes were all but trained on Nephrite as well and her brow furrowed, spilling strands of her short cropped blond hair down into her eyes. A simple copper dress, almost a uniform, completed her unmistakably military demeanor.

Michiru on the other hand was as classical and elegantly refined as I'd ever seen in a creature. She had stunning sea blue eyes and aqua tinged, delicately curled locks of hair that fell past her shoulders. She seemed to be a world apart from her companions and bowed with such careless grace that I found myself envious. I had known Neptunati to be well learned in the ways of art and etiquette but this girl in her turquoise, bell-shaped gown put those rumors to shame and elevated herself to a class beyond the common perception of her home planet.

"And finally the Princess of Pluto." Minako finished, "It is always my great pleasure to introduce Setsuna, a dear friend and unfailing champion of the Silver Alliance."

The graceful woman bowed deeply and kept her brown eyes trained on Endymion. She was a being of fantasy come to life before us; the type of woman that poets only dream of and that storytellers place in distress for gallant heroes to rescue. She smiled a deep, enigmatic smile that everyone in the room took notice to. Her long brown hair swept onto her shoulders and onto the brown and black dress that slit up the side of her long legs almost to her hips. Standing there before us she seemed almost timeless in her beauty.

"I am overwhelmed." Endymion said at last, voicing all of our feelings, "And overjoyed to welcome you all to Elysion." He waved his hand and we four stepped forward, "May I present the Shitennou; my four most trusted advisors, generals, and most importantly my closest friends."

Jadeite, Nephrite, Kunzite and I all raised a hand to our breast and bowed to the lunar delegation. When I looked up I was surprised to see Minako attempting to hide a chuckle as Ami, Rei, and Makoto seemed to huddle together behind the Venusian princess.

"Queen Serenity sends her apologies that she could not attend in person." Minako suddenly announced with a knowing grin, "But in her place I am proud to present to you, formally, the Princess of the Moon and matron-apparent of the Silver Alliance, my dearest friend, _Princess_ Serenity."

The princesses of the inner planets parted and before us stood an angel that we had all somehow overlooked. Serenity's eyes were wide, and as blue as the sky as she timidly stepped forward; she appeared so innocent that I was sure she would break down and cry at any moment from the anxiety and stresses of such a regal situation. Her delicate face was framed by twin, golden pigtails tied in buns that resembled odangos atop her head. One hand clasped her chest while the other hovered just below her chin. Clothed in a billowing gown of snow white silk she was almost impossible to look at without feeling woefully inferior.

I looked to Endymion whose eyes had gone wide with surprise, much the same as Serenity's had. He quickly walked forward and braving the harsh glares cast by most members of the delegation reached out to take Serenity's hand in his own and, falling to one knee, placed upon it a delicate kiss which was rewarded by the princess' smile which shone brighter than the sun.

"It is an honor." he said officially which only served to amuse Serenity who giggled shyly.

Endymion offered his arm to the beautiful princess and she accepted as the four of us quickly prepared ourselves for the difficult task ahead.

"My ladies, the whole of Elysion is yours for the duration of your stay." Endymion offered, "My loyal Shitennou will escort you to the suites that have been made available to you and I greatly look forward to seeing each of you at a dinner in your honor this evening."

The entire delegation bowed at once to the prince and voiced their thanks as he turned around with Serenity and very curiously almost _bounded_ out of the astral gate room. The four armored sentinels that comprised the honor guard marched up behind us and loudly planted their ceremonial halberds into the stone floor.

Kunzite stepped to the head of our group and quickly established himself, "My esteemed ladies, I am Kunzite, first of the Shitennou, and on behalf of my Master Endymion I again welcome you to Elysion. If you are in need of anything during your time in our kingdom I urge you to seek me out."

"Anything comprises a wide array of needs, master Kunzite." Minako replied with a playful grin, "I'm not sure if you'd be able to furnish some of our more, how can I say, _exotic_ requests."

For the first time in my life I saw Kunzite's resolve begin to falter. To the untrained eye it would have appeared as little more than a casual smirk but for anyone who knew the stoic King it meant that he was stalling for time. Kunzite was at a loss for words in the face of this devilish beauty.

I suppose then it was fate that intervened as Minako spun gracefully away from my fellow Shitennou to stand at my side and lace her arm around mine in the same motion, taking me completely off guard. I watched as she almost imperceptibly glanced over her shoulder to read the expression on Kunzite's face which I have to admit was rather comical. Even Jadeite and Nephrite seemed to notice that the eldest King resembled something akin to a lost puppy at that moment.

Wasting no more time Kunzite quickly offered his arm to Ami of Mercury and beckoned for the rest of the delegation to follow him out of the gate room. I watched Haruka and Michiru brush past us to follow the honor guard out of the room content to be left alone. Rei would have followed suit had Jadeite not interjected himself in her path and insist that he escort her to her quarters. She grudgingly accepted and accompanied him out of the astral gate. Setsuna placed a hand on Hotaru's shoulder and together they walked out into the palace proper looking almost like a mother and child. Makoto, the Princess of Jupiter approached Nephrite who for his part was doing a remarkable job repressing his lack of enthusiasm at the prospect of entertaining a room full of gorgeous women and escorted the Princess out by her side. That man provides an endless supply of mysteries.

"You're Zoisite, aren't you?" Minako suddenly asked as we walked arm in arm out of the gate room.

"I am, yes."

"A very elegant man, after my own heart." she complimented me, "Endymion spoke very highly of you when we last met."

"Did he now?" I asked flattered, "What embarrassing stories must I deny?"

"None that would permanently incriminate you." Minako answered, matching my slight jest, "Actually, he was praising your musical ability. He said you had a magnificent pianist of stunning virtuosity."

I coughed to try to conceal immediate embarrassment with little success. For a split-second I wondered if Minako was truly aware of the perverted nature of her wordplay, but it was obvious from the smirk she wore that she knew exactly which feathers to ruffle.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Minako spoke grinning widely, "I meant that he said you _were_ a magnificent pianist of stunning virtuosity."

Despite my beet-red complexion I replied, "Music is a passion of mine, yes, but I'm afraid my Master's words are a trifle heavy-handed."

"Ooh, so modest!" she chuckles, "I'm a student of the harp myself."

"An angel's instrument." I replied instantly, flirting in spite of conscience's valiant attempts to stop me.

She smiled back at me and I felt her grip around my arm tighten ever so slightly as she said, "Perhaps during our stay we'll have to set aside some time to make beautiful music together."

My breath caught in my throat and I could feel my chest constrict at her words which were positively soaked with innuendo. A demon such as this should not be allowed to prey on the feeble hearts of men. Minako's eyes burned into mine with a passionate fire that I'd not seen before and have yet to see equaled. I knew in that moment that my life's direction was about to change forever though where this new road would lead me I couldn't tell.

"I'd very much enjoy that."

* * *

Elsewhere in the palace Endymion and Serenity were walking arm in arm. They practically dashed out of the astral gate together as though they were slaves and the whips of their masters were driving them forward. The prince led the princess through the weaving marble halls of the castle and into the sprawling inner courtyards which were in full bloom with gardens full to the brim with roses, the prince's favored flower. The two rushed past the eyes of the guards on duty and the groundskeepers tending the flora bowed quickly as the two all but raced past them, giggling like school children. Finally they came to a secluded mezzanine that overlooked one of the ancillary courtyards where a multitude of servants were currently rushing back and forth to prepare the grounds for that evening's promised dinner.

Sweeping Serenity into his arms in a corner where he knew they wouldn't be seen Endymion leaned in and met his lips to the princess'. Her hands darted out from under his strong embrace. She rested one hand on the side of his face while the other pulled at the back of his neck, running her fingers through tufts of the prince's raven hair and pulling him harder and closer into the embrace. When they finally parted Endymion and Serenity were panting from the force of the kiss as well as their mad dash to privacy. The prince rested his forehead against the princess' and their eyes met in a loving gaze.

"I can't believe your mother sent you." Endymion finally said after a long silence of simply cradling the princess in his arms.

"She wasn't planning on it at first." Serenity answered, running her hands along the hardened steel of Endymion's armor, "Minako convinced her, with the stipulation that I attend _every_ meeting."

"So I have Minako to thank, then." Endymion said and leaned down to kiss the base of Serenity's neck, "Remind me to send flowers to her room …" his lips traced up to her right earlobe, "A dozen roses …" he planted a row of kisses across her face, prompting a furious fit of giggles from the princess, "Roses every morning …" he continued kissing her all the way down to the left ear and down the other side of her neck, "Hell, I'll plant her an entire garden!"

"Shhh!" the princess shushed him, "Settle down, prince, the whole palace is going to hear you!"

"Let them." he said and tilted her head back to passionately meet his lips to hers again.

She almost had to force him away and said, "Later, Endy. We can't disappear like this again. People are going to get suspicious if they aren't already."

"You're right." he sighed and draped his arm around her shoulders to stand beside her, "I guess I just got caught up in the moment."

The princess grinned and stood on her toes to whisper in the prince's ear, "We'll just have to postpone the moment until after the state dinner tonight."

"Why do you have to be so perfect, Serenity?" Endymion asked and bent down to kiss her once more, "You know I can't think when I'm around you."

"Sorry." She apologized with a kiss.

The Prince of the Earth and the Princess of the Moon embraced and eventually walked off the mezzanine together completely enamored and hopelessly in love and completely oblivious to the fact that every last servant in the courtyard below them had stopped dead in their tracks and watched the spectacle they created. Of course no one complained and everyone who saw the two young lovers embrace felt their hearts grow wings to fly up to join the secret couple. They would be content to weave the event into a fanciful fairy tale, at least until Endymion realized what he had done and begged them all to keep their secret.

Such was life, and such was love in the kingdom of Elysion.


	11. Chapter 8, Dinner and a Melody

**EIGHT**

**Dinner And A Melody**

"_I would hope that you'd escort me to dinner this evening."_ I recalled Minako's voice in my head with a slight grin.

I knocked on a whitewashed wooden door ahead of me intricately carved with a floral motif featuring blooming roses and a mass of writhing, thorny vines framing the portal. These doors were a feature of the most supremely opulent corner of the palace which were reserved for guests of state and spared no expense to cater to their every indulgence. Each door hid a guest suite with separate bedrooms large enough to comfortably house four to five in which there were now residing two lunar delegates each.

The circular lobby that connected the ring of rooms was furnished with several sprawling sofas of red velvet and rich mahogany low tables. The walls were adorned with gold framed portraits depicting several different geographic regions of Elysion interspersed with hanging oil lamps. The floor was an extremely elaborate mosaic tile of white, red, and gold geometric designs. I felt wealthier just breathing the air.

I rapped on the door lightly again awaiting a reply as I glanced down at the bouquet of pink and red roses I was holding, wrapped tightly by gilded foil. Suddenly the door to my immediate left swung open and Ami appeared, bowing slightly upon seeing me as I instinctively turned and pulled the flowers behind my back.

"Good evening, princess." I greeted.

"Good evening, Zoi-" she stopped in mid sentence and quickly shook her head and offered an apologetic bow, "My apologies, I meant no disrespect."

"Disrespect?" I asked puzzled, "You've in no way disrespected me, princess, I assure you."

"I did not mean to simply call you by your name." she explained politely, "I realized too late that I do not know your proper title."

"Princess I assure you there is nothing to apologize for." I reassured her with a smile, "My name is Zoisite and that is all you need call me."

"Yes?" she asked obviously intrigued by my lack of offense, "Forgive me, but I was under the impression that the people of your planet place great emphasis on noble titles and social structure. I did not wish to insult your customs."

"Ahh I see." I replied with a slight chuckle, "Well there are some arrogant and prideful lords who would have you jailed for not addressing them as count or duke, but they are few and far between. I'm afraid such pomposity is one of the regrettable stereotypes of my people that have spread throughout the Alliance. Most folk do not put much stock in such labels."

"Well then if I should simply call you Zoisite then you should just call me Ami." She stated factually and seemed to content with the end result of conversation.

"I will do that, Ami." I said with a smile, "Thank you."

The Princess smiled softly back at me, a motion that seemed almost like a struggle for her. Of the short glimpses I'd taken of our royal guests I had discerned that Ami was by far the most proper and observant when it came to procedure and etiquette. I had no doubt that from the very earliest age she was instructed in the "correct" ways to address a dignitary, how to bow, how to eat, how to _think_. Still, I did not believe her to be an automaton. Her interest in something as simple as my title and her eagerness to honor custom was a trait that could not be trained and revealed a great deal about the scholarly intellect she was repressing for the sake of etiquette.

"Are you here to escort Princess Minako to your master's promised dinner?" she asked me.

I replied, "Yes. She asked that I be the one to escort her. How did you know?"

"Minako is …" she began to answer and her eyes scanned the ceiling, "How can I put this?"

"Flirting." another voice announced from behind her.

Makoto, the princess of Jupiter emerged behind Ami from the room they were apparently sharing. She smirked at me and I distinctly felt her eyes trace me from head to toe as if she were sizing me up.

"She has a bit of a thing for you already." Makoto said candidly, "Can't say I blame her."

I barely saw Ami elbow her friend in the stomach as my vision narrowed and I was forced to clear my throat to hide my embarrassment. I attempted to focus my thoughts on an abstract object in the sitting room but all my efforts were in vain as I felt my face flare bright red once again. Thankfully I was saved from further embarrassment with the emergence of Minako from her suite.

She had changed her somewhat sheer Venusian silk gown for a more modest bell-shaped dress befitting her status as a princess. It too was gold, very much the same color as her waves of hair, with numerous metallic appointments. She now sported a very large red bow tying back a part of her hair. A three piece gold diadem of minuscule chain links decorated her brow with a large diamond at its center.

"Master Zoisite!" she exclaimed with a curtsey, "Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Not a problem." I answered and presented her with the flowers I had arranged for our second meeting, "If you'll permit me, princess."

"Why thank you, kind sir!" she squealed with delight and snatched the roses from my grasp, "I hope there's a vase somewhere in your castle big enough to hold them all!"

"She should've mentioned that it takes her well over two hours to change." Makoto said off-handedly, "And that's not including the hair."

"Well unfortunately I'm not the type to simply throw on any old dress and call it a day." Minako defended herself with a wink and placed the flowers on a table just inside her door.

Makoto simply nodded back with a roll of her eyes as she was wearing exactly what was just described. Ami's glance suddenly turned to the main entryway and I followed her gaze to where it landed on Kunzite. He quickly took stock of the situation and his hand, which was laden with what appeared to be a bouquet of pink and red roses wrapped in gold foil, darted behind his back. Before I could raise my hand to greet him Minako's arm latched around my own and squeezed as though she were claiming a prize.

"Princesses." Kunzite greeted in his disturbingly calm monotone.

We all nodded to him as he entered the room and produced the bouquet of flowers again. I highly doubt he had planned this in advance but he immediately placed the flowers in an ornamental vase that was sitting on one of the tables that adorned the central meeting room. It was obvious both from the amount of flowers he brought and how he unsuccessfully tried to hide them from view that he'd discovered me purchasing my bouquet and resolved to outdo me and get to Minako's door ahead of me. Minako was very subtly gnawing on her bottom lip and her body shuddered as I assumed she was attempting to restrain herself from bursting into laughter.

"I trust Zoisite has been keeping you entertained?" Kunzite asked with a hint of disdain in his voice.

"Oh yes." Minako replied, "Very well entertained."

I was about to voice curiosity as to what I had done that was so entertaining when I was interrupted by the sound of someone running full speed towards us in the connecting hallway. Kunzite and I were both ready to leap into action and defend against a would-be assassin when Jadeite bounded around the corner. The boyish grin on his face was immediately replaced by a look of utter shock at seeing both Kunzite and I in the room. His hand darted behind his back, unsuccessfully trying to hide the bouquet of pink and red roses wrapped in gold foil that he held.

Minako could barely contain herself seeing yet another gift of roses that were undoubtedly intended for her. Jadeite's eyes roamed the room in search of a window he could conveniently leap out of but he found only ornately carved doors behind which he wasn't welcome, at least not _yet_ in his mind. Kunzite exhaled what sounded like a growl and his eyes moved to the flowers on the center table that he had brought and Jadeite followed his gaze, cracking a nervous smile when he saw them.

"People certainly do move quickly around here." Ami observed smartly.

At the sound of the commotion Jadeite caused two more doors opened, one after the other, and Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna, and Hotaru emerged looking mildly concerned and in the case of the princess of Uranus, annoyed. Suddenly the entire room fell into an unnerving, awkward silence. Jadeite attempted to salvage the situation in his own inimitable way.

"My ladies!" he announced loudly with an overly elaborate bow, sweeping the hand that held his flowers out in front of him, "A gift for whomever would do me the honor of allowing me to be their escort to my master's grand feast!"

Haruka crossed her arms across her chest and rolled her eyes while Michiru let out an amused giggle. Setsuna's eyes spoke volumes more than the playful smirk on her face ever could and they flashed Jadeite a millennia's worth of refusal. As if to underscore this poignant moment Hotaru's eyes widened and the frail, young princess approached and ran a delicate finger over one of the feathery petals of the roses. Jadeite's brow dampened immediately though his well practiced smile never faltered.

"They're beautiful." Hotaru observed in a child's voice, almost mystified.

"Then they are yours." Jadeite replied, ever the chivalrous prodigy even though his efforts were rewarded by who he perceived to be the wrong party.

"You're very much a gentleman, Master Jadeite." Setsuna said in a melodic, time-worn voice of incredible empathy.

"Oh, I'm simply a polite country boy." he replied, handing the bouquet of flowers to Hotaru who thanked him with a courteous bow.

"And you have to watch what you say to that country boy or it will simply go straight to his head." Kunzite joked and removed himself from his perch against the wall.

The group laughed with him, even Haruka though hers was more of agreement than amusement. The Neptunati princess at her side looked less than appreciative of her partner's behavior and Michiru nudged the taller woman who winced in aggravation before speaking up.

"Thank you for offering to escort us." the Uranian princess said formally towards we three Shitennou though her jaw might as well have been clenched.

"Our pleasure." Kunzite answered swiftly, "But now our Master and your Princess Serenity await us."

"Shall we get going, then?" Minako asked and tugged on my arm expectantly.

"Yes, but …" I answered and glanced at Kunzite, "Where's Nephrite?"

As if on cue the auburn haired king strolled into the common room with one hand in the pocket of his dress pants, the other hanging leisurely at his side. He raised an eyebrow when he stopped moving, taking in the curious scene of a room almost evenly divided down the center between standoffish princesses and overly eager Kings.

"Apparently I've been missing something." he noted dryly.

"No flowers, general?" Makoto teased mocking disappointment.

Nephrite took notice to Kunzite's roses in the center of the room and to an identical bouquet in the hands of Hotaru who was now clutching Jadeite's arm like an insecure orphan. He chuckled to himself and shook his head when the door to Minako's room swung open fully and Rei emerged gesturing over her shoulder to the lavish suite behind her that the two princesses shared. The suite featured a dining table with four chairs around it and on the center of the white clothed table was a golden vase holding a bouquet of pink and red roses.

"I had them sent up earlier." Nephrite stated factually and then added, "To each room."

"And we thank you very kindly, Master Nephrite." Minako said nodding her bejeweled head in his direction, "It's good to see Endymion has such a thoughtful, forward-thinking man at his side."

The occupants of the room all chuckled slightly albeit somewhat nervously. I myself shook my head and recalled the past few moments and how utterly pathetic our attempts at flattery and courtship must have looked to the collection of beautiful regents who were doubtless used to such pandering.

"Well now that we've all been sorely outdone." Kunzite shrugged and hoped his mock-amusement would suffice, "Let's not keep our hosts waiting."

We all voiced our agreement and began to filter out of the room. Kunzite offered his arm to Ami who politely accepted. Jadeite followed behind with Hotaru and Rei trailing them who regarded Jadeite's longing gaze with pure venom. The Shitennou were all taken somewhat by surprise to see Haruka and Michiru's arms wind together as they exited. I made a mental note to ask for clarification on that particular pairing. Setsuna was quite content to usher herself along solo leaving Makoto to awkwardly approach Nephrite.

"Care for some company, general?" she asked sincerely.

Nephrite smiled politely and offered his arm but remained silent and I expected no more from him. However, I was struck by the sight of the two of them very leisurely, very casually walking arm in arm as if they were taking a midday walk through a garden without a care in the world. I smiled at the sight before my concentration was broken by a tugging on my jacket sleeve.

"You'll have to take me on a trip someday." Minako said curiously.

"Where?" I asked.

"To whatever dream world you're always drifting off to." she replied, "I've known you for less than a day and already I can see your favored residence is not here on the earth with everyone else."

Against my will I felt my heart soar. I am a very solitary creature by nature but so are the other Shitennou, except perhaps for Jadeite. Still, even he was more content to surround himself with legions of adoring citizens than to focus his entire energy one single companion. Minako was a keen judge of character and I felt that she was likely interested in many of the same subjects I indulged myself in: art, philosophy, debate, etc. I was enamored with her after only one day.

I chuckled, "Perhaps I will take you there."

"Good. Now, best not to keep your prince waiting." she noted with finality.

Suddenly the conversation was at an end and a very unwelcome, awkward silence accompanied our trek down the palace hallways. Minako kept her eyes straight ahead and her former, possessive grip on my arm lapsed into a more ladylike draping of her hand over my sleeve. I was unnerved at once, wondering if I had said or done something unconsciously that had offended her.

As we had lagged behind talking for a few moments we entered Endymion's grand ballroom a few moments after the reset of the party. The moment we passed the threshold of the titanic wooden doors framing the cathedral-like banquet hall Minako's spine stiffened, her arm latched around mine like a vice again and she more or less forced us to leap into the hall as though there were springs attached to the soles of our feet. I realized that she was, as I myself did when entering a debate in the Ring of Law, putting on what athletes referred to as their "game face."

"There you are, Zoisite." My prince said and stood from his chair at the head of the impressively long banquet table, "I was beginning to worry another argumentative senator had forced you into an impromptu debate."

"A fashionably late entrance is required at any state function, Prince Endymion." Minako answered for me without missing a beat.

"And a very fashionable pair you make." he replied and reclaimed his seat next to the angelic Princess Serenity who sat at his immediate left.

I felt my face flush immediately and Jadeite added a brief chuckle to punctuate the moment. Minako and I moved to the two open chairs at the table. Endymion and Serenity naturally sat at the head. Kunzite sat himself at the right side of the prince and Ami sat next to him followed by Haruka, Michiru, and Rei. Setsuna sat herself at the opposite end of the table. Minako set herself down next to Serenity, opposite Kunzite and I joined her opposite Ami. We were followed by Nephrite, Makoto, and Hotaru with Jadeite choosing to sit opposite from Rei. He seemed to thrive every one of her disapproving glares.

"May I propose a toast to begin the evening?" Kunzite began and raised his crystalline goblet to the table, "To our honored guests, to the success of our forthcoming council and peace among all our planets."

"Hear, hear!" Endymion agreed and raised his glass.

"Peace." I echoed my favorite sentiment.

The tinkling of touching crystal echoed in the massive hall and the feast was allowed to properly begin. Servants brought a varied array of delicacies from across the globe including succulent fruits and vegetables, grains from the east, and the impressive main course of roast pheasant which was a perennial favorite of the capital city. The wine we drank was an ancient vintage and almost too powerful to accompany a meal. I was surprised that the nine princesses seated at the table could even approach their glasses let alone indulge in the contents.

"Endymion, tell us about yourself." Minako asked immediately taking charge of the night's conversation, "Obviously some of us know you a little, but for all our benefits, regale us."

"Um, well, let me see…" Endymion began with a nervous laugh and I picked up on the amusement spreading across Serenity's features.

"Modesty does not become you, prince." Setsuna called from across the whole length of the table in her easy voice, "Please indulge us."

For the first time since I laid eyes on her in the astral gate Setsuna's face betrayed an emotion, but it was strained: affection. Obviously she knew the prince from a past meeting as her tone indicated familiarity, but there was a strange longing in her eyes to hear the stories retold. The look was one of endearment and I found myself wondering what sort of past the enigmatic woman shared with my Master.

"Well, my life has been somewhat common for a prince." my Master began modestly in light of Setsuna's goading, "I was left with a kingdom to command after my parents passed on."

"You were a prodigy of Queen Serenity in your youth, weren't you?" Ami asked.

"Yes." Endymion replied proudly, "And I am constantly grateful to her for everything I learned from her." He reclined slightly and he fidgeted in his chair, obviously wanting to reach towards the golden haired princess at his side, "She taught me the most valuable principles of trust and compassion."

"I doubt her teachings were of much use on the battlefield." Haruka suddenly interjected.

"Haruka!" Michiru instantly shouted in a hushed whisper and her eyes darted like arrows to her companion.

"It's no secret that Earth is a warring planet." the Uranian princess continued despite the warning, "There are battles raging even now and this rouge army the Dark Kingdom is ransacking your villages while your _soldiers_." She hissed the word through gritting teeth, "Languish in what passes here as training camps."

"Haruka …" Setsuna's voice warned.

"And that's why you're now turning to the Silver Alliance, isn't it?" she jabbed further, "Your own inadequacy to deal with such a problem is tearing your planet apart and you need _us_ to save you from falling into oblivion."

"Haruka that's enough!" Michiru shouted at full volume this time and jabbed her friend in the thigh under the table.

"No, it's all right." Endymion placated the crowd especially Nephrite and Kunzite who looked ready to leap out of their seats and tackle the woman, "It's true that the planet is rife with conflict, but it's a necessary element in any civilization. Human beings are adversarial by nature and we will always fight each other."

"I agree, unfortunately." Rei said with a nod, "Martians learned a long time ago and paid a very bloody price to gain that understanding. Now we can only strive to channel our differences into something productive and mutually beneficial."

"What's important is _why_ we fight." Makoto spoke up, "If it's for land, or for power, or money then it is a senseless battle where lives are lost in vain." Nephrite suddenly became less interested in his glass of wine and listened attentively, "But if it's for something more, a noble cause, something pure and just then it is a battle worth fighting."

"If that's the way you perceive battle than you're living your life blind." Haruka snapped.

"Ladies…" Ami tried to interrupt.

"Perhaps if your planet would spend half the time listening to the cries of your people as it did sharpening blades and driving whips you'd realize that military might does not define a culture!" Jupiter shot back.

I distinctly heard Jadeite whisper: "Is it wrong to be aroused by this?"

Haruka and Makoto continued arguing with Nephrite hanging on every word which was somewhat odd for the normally impassive king. The other princesses appeared disinterested in the heated debate occurring right in front of them and I assumed it to be a somewhat normal occurrence in their ranks. I glanced to my right to find Minako wearing one of her trademark mischievous grins as if to indicate that she was pleased at instigating the verbal warfare.

"If you want to take this into the courtyard just say the word!" Makoto suddenly yelled and Nephrite had to grab her arm to keep her in her seat.

"All right!" Serenity shouted, her voice more pleading than commanding, "That's enough, you two! We're here to try to strive for peace, not jump down each other's throats before we've even started!"

The room was silent for a moment aside from Minako's unsuccessful attempts to stifle her giggling before Haruka and Makoto both intoned their less than sincere apologies to Serenity and to one another.

"Well I can see our meetings are going to be a bit more dynamic than the debates we're used to in Elysion." Kunzite observed after the lull in conversation had passed.

"Oh, you have no idea how interesting things are going to get." Minako said and Kunzite and I both raised an eyebrow at her.

The meal passed with much less tension hanging in the air and by the time the servants were wheeling around the table with the truffle-laden dessert cart several small conversations had sprung up around the table and most of the delegates present were getting along well with one another. I took particular notice to the fact that Endymion and Serenity almost exclusively kept to each other as though the lofty topics they were discussing was something they had done before.

As I watched I became acutely aware of the fact that at every possible juncture Minako would interject a thought or opinion. She was the consummate conversationalist, keeping a close eye and an even closer ear on everything that was being said at that table. The fact that her very presence seemed to make her magnetically irresistible to everyone only heightened her confidence and I marveled at how she shamelessly indulged in being the center of attention.

"Prince Endymion?" Rei asked from her end of the table, "What sort of music do the people of your kingdom enjoy?"

"A rather wide variety." the prince replied, "Secular music is very popular in the form of ballads and madrigals, but there is a growing interest in orchestral compositions."

"I only ask because in Martian tradition it is customary to follow a function of state with an artistic display." she explained.

"They always say that music aids digestion." Michiru agreed.

I suddenly found myself the center of attention as Endymion's eyes fell on me. A smile spread across his lips and I knew from past experience what was about to come.

"Zoisite?" he asked expectantly, "A little dinner music, if you please."

He turned in his seat and gestured to two attendants who immediately removed a white silk cloth from a piece of furniture inconspicuously tucked into a corner of the banquet hall. As quietly as they could, which was not at all, they rolled the large wooden structure to sit only a few feet away from the table.

I was intimately familiar with it: a piano of stunning craftsmanship whose chords would fill the room like water would fill a bowl. The princesses and my fellow Shitennou all seemed to gaze longingly at me as if they were expecting the grand finale to a particularly suspenseful play. Endymion nudged the air with his forehead as a sign that I should sit before the magnificent instrument. The pride on his face was evident and I recalled many instances in the past where my master would sit in my private conservatory listening to my playing even as I composed, listening to the same piece over and over again as I perfected its form.

"I had heard Master Zoisite was an excellent pianist." Minako mentioned seemingly annoyed that she was about to be brushed aside by an impromptu musical performance, "I didn't think I'd get to experience his playing so soon."

"Then I shall endeavor not to disappoint you." I said.

My hands gently caressed the ivory keys in front of me like the soft, gentle touch of a lover and I did so love the instrument. The feel of it was familiar as though I were slipping into a well worn, well loved overcoat. I closed my eyes for a few long moments and steadied my breathing as a song drifted into my mind and my fingers began to dance, spelling out the notes in a story of melody, harmony, and rhythm.

It was a strange, lilting melody in a minor key that I had been working on for some time now. I imagined it as the prelude to a much larger work, possibly a sonata if I had time to sit and write the whole thing down. The simple chord progression ascended the scale, changing modes slightly and adding an arpeggio in the bass range which grew in intensity, adding tension, building suspense, and layering emotion upon emotion. It was so very appropriate for the evening. The music rose to its climax before lapsing into the resolution, a jaunty clog dance in half time that I was sure everyone in the room would be dancing to when I opened my eyes.

Instead I found all eyes firmly fixed on Minako who during the course of my song had somehow managed to procure a harp. I could only speculate as to how such an elaborate, large instrument could have made its way into the room so silently. Perhaps I was playing much louder than I thought. The applause at the end of my song was welcome but seemed largely unenthusiastic in light of this new development.

"Play me a melody, general." Minako more or less ordered as she settled herself onto the lacquered wood cover of the grand piano, "Something that will lift the hearts of everyone who hears it."

An emotion ran through me that I was not used to: jealousy. Here sat a golden haired angel no less than on the edge of the very instrument that I used to translate my thoughts and feelings into something tangible and she had stolen my audience. I tried to force the unwanted feeling from my mind but my chest felt constricted and I suddenly lost the will to play, or at least to play with any passion. Well read musical connoisseurs can tell when a musician plays for the sake of playing, or for the sake of connecting with an audience and my only hope at that moment was that there were no true music lovers in the room to critique what I was about to play.

My hands drifted to the keys again and I began with a complex chord progression that at first thought would seem incredibly discordant. Astonishingly Minako picked up on what I was trying to accomplish and she plucked the strings of her harp in tune, which more resembled the voices of an angelic choir. I played with no music in front of me, simply allowing the notes to come as they pleased improvising the entire performance. I purposely modulated keys in the middle of a passage and overlapped complicated rhythm patterns and Minako stayed right with me, nearly matching my melodies note for note. I was simply stunned by how proficient she was on such a difficult instrument.

Distracted as I was by the artistic battle I was sorely in danger of losing I didn't notice the approach of Michiru who elegantly placed herself between my bench and where Minako sat on the edge of the piano. The Princess of Neptune smiled at me, commenting wordlessly that she was trying to ease the apparently audible tension in our musical melee. She perched a violin under her chin and as soon as the bow touched the strings she began doubling the melody Minako was playing without so much as a sixteenth-note missed anticipated incorrectly. Her virtuosity on the instrument and her ear for improvisation was stunning. Immediately I was less concerned with upstaging Minako and focused once again fully on the music. We each played from our hearts and though our emotions may have been dissonant the music was harmonious. From out of sheer nothingness we wove an intricate, impromptu concerto. That song that we played with its improvised melodies, complex harmonies and furious pacing would never be captured on paper, it would never be heard again, and it would only exist in our memories, fragmented, incomplete, and utterly unique.

By the time our performance reached a cacophonous climax I was physically exhausted. Minako seemed to grow only more radiant and excited as even when all eyes, all applause, and all affection were once again hers to command. Kunzite seemed beside himself and was the first to clap, almost throwing his chair across the room as he stood and gave a rousing ovation that everyone else followed. Michiru nodded her appreciation towards me and then to the crowd of dignitaries before excusing herself back to her seat as Minako continued to bow time and time again and mouthed her thanks. Even the servants who were stopped in their tracks by the haunting, angelic sound of her harp dared to neglect their tasks to applaud.

Through the enraptured eyes I caught sight of my Master who met my gaze evenly. I needed neither cheers nor words of appreciation. He simply nodded his head in silent recognition of my talent; a talent that he knew would always offer him focus in times of despair, and a talent that I would always offer freely.

As we began to dismiss ourselves from the banquet hall after a closing toast by Nephrite who simply had to have one last glass of such fine vintage wine I found myself strangely without a Venusian princess attached to my arm. I glanced around the hall where small groups of Shitennou and princesses had migrated to find her standing alone near a marble pillar holding one of Kunzite's hands in her own talking about something I couldn't and didn't care to overhear.

In the course of only one day I was baited, captured, and left for dead by a conniving she-witch of a princess. My fists clenched at my side and I had to force myself from ramming them into the lower keys of the piano.

"Your playing was remarkable." I heard a voice compliment me and turned around to find Ami standing nearby with a hand placed on the ivory keyboard, "Would you indulge me?"

"You played the piano?" I asked still distracted by Minako's maneuverings.

"For seven years when I was a child." she replied, "My mother was a music lover and she dabbled in many instruments. She had a typical mother's vision of all of her children playing together in the family ensemble."

"You have siblings?" I inquired.

"Several." she replied with a subtle edge of regret, "I have a rather large family."

"Why did you give it up?" I asked and gestured to the instrument.

She sat down and tested the weight of the keys and deftly played a chord which rang in the hallway like a church bell.

"My duties began to take precedence." she answered, "When I reached the age when I could rightfully assume my title I found myself with less and less time to devote to the arts. When I became princess my life changed and I had to give up many of the indulgences from when I was simply Ami, one of the many daughters of the Mercurial court."

"Thankfully music is a gift that will last a lifetime." I answered to the best of my ability, "Once that passion is instilled in you it never leaves. One day you will return to it."

"I certainly would enjoy that." Ami observed and began to play a simple melody on the piano, "Perhaps on that day I will seek out a true master of the instrument to be my teacher; someone whose passionate playing can truly move the soul."

I had to smile. Ami's words could have been taken from my own mouth. Music was meant to move people, to reach them on a level that simple words could not. It was an emotional art form; an extension of one's self. For all of her properness, prim demeanor and quiet nature Ami truly struck me as a kindred spirit.

"On that day, princess." I said with sincerity, "I would be honored."

* * *

Endymion led Princess Serenity back to the suites where her companions were staying and bade her goodnight with a light kiss of her cheek. Of course, the Princess would sneak out of her room as soon as time permitted to be at her lover's side through the night, but she had learned to rein in her passion through months of scolding by the senshi who were tasked to keep her safe and would reluctantly have to follow her down to Earth when she slipped away.

Endymion's heart was light as he made his way back to his chambers. He turned the latch on the door to his suite when he felt a familiar presence behind him. The Prince spun around to face Setsuna who stood partially obscured by the shadows. The guard that was always posted outside the Prince's room stiffened, but Endymion casually dismissed him and told him to go get a sip of their banquet wine before the cask was replaced in the cellars.

"I can see why you inspire such loyalty in your soldiers." Setsuna complimented the Prince as the guard eagerly left his station, "You're very good to them."

"It's not bribery if that's what you think." Endymion told her coldly.

"There's no reason to be defensive, Endymion." Setsuna assured him and stepped closer.

The Prince seemed restless. He turned back to the door and unlatched it quickly. He stepped inside and lit several candles and pretended to busy himself by rustling papers on his desk and absentmindedly moving things that didn't need to be moved. After a few moments Setsuna invited herself in and appeared to innocently glance at the various objects hanging on the walls.

"I know you have something to say, Setsuna." Endymion spoke almost accusatorily.

"Why must we always be hostile towards each other?" she asked allowing sorrow to seep into her voice. It appeared as though Endymion were the only person who could elicit any real emotion from her.

"I thought that's what you wanted." Endymion answered.

"Do you know what's coming, Endymion?" Setsuna asked after that remark. She dropped any tones of respect or revelry and stood whispering over Endymion's shoulder.

"You can't tell me." Endymion reminded her callously, "You're not allowed to."

He tried to turn away, but Setsuna moved to stand directly in front of him. In fact she had moved before Endymion even turned his body. She _knew_ which way he was going to move.

"The Dark Kingdom will test you, Endymion." She warned, "You _must_ be cautious."

"You don't have to worry about me." The Prince assured her and rested a hand on the hilt of his sword.

"No." she half-heartedly agreed with a frown, "But I do have to worry about Serenity."

Endymion's brow furrowed and he regarded the ancient beauty before him with a cold, calculating stare, "What are you implying?"

"Her life and yours." Setsuna told him with an air of mystic revelation, "If you continue down this path, they will be inextricably linked. Your joy will be her joy and your pain, her pain."

Endymion wanted to be angry with her. Truthfully he wanted to throw her out of his room and not deal with the mysterious Plutonian until functions of state demanded it, but despite that desire he could not follow through. Endymion relaxed and shrugged with an amused, nostalgic sigh.

"Why do you still do this, Set?" Endymion asked showing remarkable casualty.

"Time is my burden." She answered in a melancholy voice, "You know what I've had to endure."

"Your strength is what I find most remarkable about you." Endymion told her fondly, "I don't know anyone else who could bear it."

"I've seen the skeins of destiny of every man on this Earth." Setsuna told the Prince as she leaned in close to him, her voice now seeping with affection, "There is no man who is your equal."

"Setsuna…"Endymion sighed out of flattery and embarrassment.

"You are blessed." Setsuna informed him as she made her way back to the door. She turned towards him and offered him a kind smile, "So is she."

"Setsuna." Endymion called out to her and nearly asked her to stay, to pull up a chair and reminisce about old times shared and maybe see if they could procure another bottle of that fine wine from dinner, but he knew he someone else was already on her way to do just that.

He smiled fondly and said, "It's good to see you again."

She only returned his smile in reply and pulled the door shut behind her as she walked out of the Prince's chambers. The latch clicked behind her and the Princess rested her back against the heavy wooden portal. Her sparkling eyes lulled closed and a sad smile spread across her face.

No lie was spoken. The skeins of fate had shown her that no man could equal Endymion's valor or honor. He was what was best in all men. And she, Serenity, was the one creature for whom Endymion's power and honor did not matter. Setsuna allowed the thought to settle across her mind as it had for incalculable ages. Time wore on, but the cosmos would not and most likely could not produce another Endymion. Never would another like him exist, never an equal, never a greater. Never for her.

"Blessed." She cried in silence.


	12. Chapter 9, The Prankster & the Priestess

**NINE**

**The Prankster and The Priestess**

After the banquet I retired to my chambers, but my sleep was restless, if you could call it sleep at all. Thankfully all of the Shitennou were somewhat adept at conserving their energy through days of restless battle, huddled together in some god-forsaken trench waiting for an opposing army to rush our lines. I was already up and roving an hour before sunrise and all of my thoughts were focused on the events of the preceding night. My mind kept assaulting me with angelic images of Princess Minako and her gravity-defying figure and every time I would scold myself for it. A walk was in order to clear my mind and I made it a point to steer clear of the area currently inhabited by our guests.

As I walked across the palace grounds I passed by the stables which, at this hour, were usually deserted, but I heard some commotion from within. My investigation revealed Princesses Haruka and Michiru astride two majestic horses being led from the livery towards the main gates of the city. The stablehands stopped to bow and I returned their politeness in kind.

"Master Zoisite!" Michiru greeted me from atop her powerful white stallion, "I didn't expect to see anyone up and roaming so early."

"I could say the same." I replied enthusiastically, "I wanted to thank you for playing with me last night. I don't think my music has ever sounded better."

"You're too modest." Michiru replied, "I enjoyed it greatly, despite being so informal. Perhaps we could make time to play again in a more conventional setting."

"Absolutely." I replied and noticed Haruka shaking her head dismissively.

"Would you care to join us?" the Neptunati offered, "Haruka and I have been spending so much time on the Moon these days that we haven't been able to get a good ride in for ages."

"A kind offer, but I must decline." I said thankfully, "I don't believe I'd be very good company this morning."

"If you're sulking about last night it won't do you any good." Haruka offered.

"You'll have to forgive my inexperience in these matters." I apologized feeling any attempt to play up my social skill would be a waste of time where the Princess of Uranus was concerned, "I'm something of a novice when it comes to entertaining flirtatious princesses."

"I'll apologize for Haruka since she doesn't know how." Michiru commented wryly, "Someone should have warned you about Minako before we arrived."

I mumbled a half-hearted reply that was mostly for show.

"Just don't think about it so much. You're not special." Haruka stated with curious warmth despite her taciturn manner, "Minako does it to everyone."

Spying what would probably be my only opportunity to return one of the Uranian's jabs I asked, "Even you?"

The Princess glared at me and scowled as every bit of concentration to maintain her outward composure failed and a blush filled her cheeks. Michiru let out a ringing peal of laughter and Haruka grumbled fiercely to herself as she directed her horse with a whip of the reins towards the gate. The horse took off like the wind and startled the stablehand. Michiru laughed again and nodded appreciatively towards me. I just waved back in return as she galloped away to chase down her embarrassed partner. Feeling satisfied I continued my journey across the palace towars my destination.

I arrived at one of my favorite spots in the palace: the grand balconies. These elevated terraces were built of white stone and encircled many of the gardens and courtyards contained within the palace walls giving anyone who stood upon them a bird's eye view of the palace below. The hanging gardens and arboretums weren't in full bloom yet but I spent a good amount of time standing above them leaning over the railing and taking in the sight of the blossoming flora. I was especially fond of cherry trees or as I more properly referred to them, the sacred _sakura_. I remember the trees bloomed in great forests surrounding my childhood home. In the autumn when the sakura petals would fall I would stand among the piles of white blossoms and let the winds whip them great columns around my body. I gazed down at a grove of sakura in one of the many courtyards for what seemed like an hour, lost in those memories before I decided to move on.

I continued my journey, attempting with marginal success to force the events of the previous night out of my mind. Minako seemed to pervade every waking thought even though I was quite sure she was done with me. I wondered if perhaps the few intellectually satisfying words I'd traded with Ami were a precursor to simply more trickery and games of the heart. I suddenly stopped in my tracks, angry with myself and scowling at the empty hallway. If anyone was watching me I'm sure they would have been adequately entertained.

I couldn't quite wrap my mind around it. Normally I'm completely disinterested in romance. Within the political circles I inhabit things like that tend to end up for the worse and with the constant companionship of my Master and the other Shitennou I'd never once found myself lonesome. Wait … _romance?_ What was I thinking? Barely two days had passed and already I was obsessing over what had happened and lamenting a lost love? Could it be that these vixens actually held some strange power over the fragile minds of men that pushed us to the edges of sanity with their siren songs?

Actually, I think that was the residual effect of the wine talking …

In such a volatile time as this with all the lunar delegates present I could not afford to second-guess myself. I continued along, silently reaffirming that I wouldn't let the opportunistic advances of a pair of Princess distract me. Before I could sink into the despair that I was lying to cover my own backside I turned a corner and found Jadeite along the edge of the balcony, the upper half of his body was almost completely hanging over the stone railing.

"Ah, Zoisite!" he snapped to attention upon seeing me with his ever-present smirk indicating that he was, as usual, up to no good, "Has anyone told you lately that you possess a keen knack for sneaking up on people?"

"Subtlety is my specialty." I answered, "I thought you'd be entertaining the child-princess Hotaru at the zoo or something this lovely morning."

"That's funny." he deadpanned, "And you're one to talk, Zoisite. At least I left the banquet last night with the same princess I went in with."

Thankfully my resolve was stronger than my natural instinct which was to throttle the younger king and physically remind him of the virtues of keeping his mouth shut. I had to laugh, though. He was right. Jadeite gestured for me to come closer and pointed several times at the courtyard below us. I recognized it immediately as one of the sparring grounds where particularly skillful soldiers, generals, and even Endymion himself sometimes held exhibition sword fights. Several weapon racks stood at the edges of the grounds with archery targets and sandbag dummies in vaguely human poses scattered throughout.

In the center of the otherwise uninhabited courtyard stood a lone figure with a waterfall of raven black hair covering almost her entire back which was garbed in a white and red kimono of Martian origin. Rei, the princess of Mars, was currently engaged in what appeared to be a form of martial arts training. Her precise, graceful motions were reminiscent of tai chi and I found myself feeling sorry for the invisible opponent she was grappling with. Jadeite, on the other hand, was practically feral and visibly forced himself to keep from salivating.

"Out of curiosity, how long have you been watching her?" I asked.

"About two hours." Jadeite replied matter-of-factually.

I shook my head with a sigh and took a position near him, leaning with my back against the railing. For a time Jadeite seemed to forget I was even in the room with him as he longingly observed Rei's whirling form on the ground several stories below.

"My supernaturally acute intuition begs the query of what's weighing on your mind." Jadeite said after a while, not taking his eyes off the Martian princess.

"I'm sure it does." I replied.

"Zoisite." my companion began, carelessly slipping from his normal demeanor of the jovial prankster into that of his seldom-seen serious and intense side of his personality, "I know you. You only ever wander this early in the morning when something is keeping you awake."

"I suppose." I sighed, seeing that this conversation was unavoidable, "Do you want the long or short version?"

"As long as they both tell the same story it doesn't matter." Jadeite replied evenly.

"Where's Kunzite?" I asked at once.

"I haven't seen him since he left dinner last night with Princess Minako—" Jadeite stopped mid sentence and smiled in understanding, "So that's it, eh?"

"It seems that I've been used by a princess." I confessed.

"My friend, if that's the only regret you take to your grave consider yourself blessed." Jadeite replied and slapped me on the shoulder, letting the revelry back into our conversation, "But what a creature to be used by!"

"I'm surprised _you're_ not clawing at her door." I said, "Even Nephrite seemed to take at least a passing interest, especially with a few glasses of wine in him. It's like everyone just dropped everything they were doing and started groveling like beggars when she appeared."

"Flowers and a few failed attempts at flattery aside, I like to think all my years have taught me something." Jadeite explained as Rei leapt into a fierce spinning kick below us, "That I know when I'm out of my league."

"I didn't think you were the type to back down from a challenge, Jadeite." I chided and glanced down at the Martian princess, "Although while Minako is expert and rending hearts this one seems like she could easily liberate your head from your shoulders."

"I hope so!" Jadeite chirped gleefully.

When we both looked down again the princess' eyes were narrowed and blazing with rage as she stared directly up at us. I turned and coughed to conceal my laughter but Jadeite unashamedly gave a chivalrous bow and dramatically swept several strands of his blonde hair out of his eyes. Rei gave no indication that she would speak or even move until the fire in her stoic gaze incinerated us both.

"Forgive our spectating, my lady!" Jadeite called down to her.

"Have the decency to announce yourselves, generals." Rei shot back and immediately gathered herself to leave the courtyard, "I don't train to entertain an audience of slack-jawed men."

She turned to walk away when Jadeite's brow furrowed and a devious grin spread across his face. He nodded at me and in one spectacular display of gymnastic skill he leapt over the balcony and performed a perfect somersault to land on the field in front of the princess. She narrowed her eyes at him and attempted to walk past him, but he stepped in front of her and cut her off.

"I meant no offense, princess." Jadeite apologized and reached out to take her hand which she immediately retracted, "And I can't help but notice that you've regarded me with nothing but venom since we met."

"Perhaps if you viewed me as more than just a trophy to be claimed my reaction to you would be more pleasant." Rei answered evenly.

"We seem to have started off on the wrong foot." Jadeite said and took a step back, "Let's imagine for a moment that we know nothing of each other." he cleared his throat and bowed low with a hand over his breast, "I am Jadeite of the Shitennou, my lady. It is a distinct honor."

The corner of Rei's mouth turned up for a brief moment, probably in spite of herself. She folded her arms beneath her robes and leaned back on one foot, regarding Jadeite with a somewhat amused look. The Shitennou immediately straightened up and spoke with much more confidence.

"You just happened to catch my eye on my morning stroll." Jadeite began, easily slipping into predator mode before her eyes, "That graceful routine you were performing was positively beautiful in its deadliness."

"And that's what we Martians are doing when you're out for your 'morning stroll,' general." Rei instantly bit back.

"I've heard that your people are some of the finest warriors in the Silver Alliance." Jadeite continued, allowing her jab to roll off his back.

"Mars produces its share of famed soldiers." she replied, "Every child is trained in at least the most rudimentary martial disciplines. Even if they don't become career soldiers they are instilled with principles of discipline and honor from the youngest age."

"And what about the royal children?" Jadeite asked nodding at her, "Have you chosen the path of a career soldier, or are you simply very..." his eyes conspicuously roved over her body, "Disciplined?"

Rei smirked and surprised the general with a graceful leap backwards and she came to rest on the ground near a wooden rack of weapons. She carefully selected a razor sharp sword resembling a gladius from the rack and spun it around behind her back with a flourish before tossing it like a baton from one hand to the other, impressing me with her almost careless handling of the deadly weapon as I watched from above.

"I was one of the premier swordsmen in my graduating class." she stated proudly, "But there hasn't been a major conflict on Mars in centuries so our martial arts have become an integrated part of our society."

"A philosophy by the blade, so to speak?" Jadeite asked, "I can appreciate martial arts for their spiritual benefits."

"Training provides focus and clears the mind." Rei continued.

"Or maybe it just gives you an excuse to stay away from the rest of the princesses." Jadeite thought aloud, "You know, something to kill the time?"

Rei's eyebrows suddenly pointed straight down and I feared she might lunge at Jadeite and chop him in half with her deadly sword in that instant.

"I've seen that far-away, distant look in your eyes, princess." Jadeite continued, "I saw it when you first stepped out of the astral gate. You're not made for all that pomp and ceremony. You long for something a bit more _visceral_."

"You obviously don't know when to stop talking, general." she said simply as she struggled to rein in her anger, "You're already gravely insulted my traditions, don't dare speak ill of any of the rest of my companions."

"Well, if it's any consolation I spoke on purpose." Jadeite said and meandered his way to another one of the many weapon racks in the courtyard and drew a well-worn katana into his hand, "You have to be in the right frame of mind."

"For what?" Rei asked unsteadily.

"A sparring match, of course!" Jadeite replied excitedly and twirled his katana, balancing the hilt of the weapon on the very tip of his index finger before flicking it off to spin and land neatly in his hand again.

"I'm, uh …" Rei stuttered and a look of anxiety washed over her otherwise impassive features, "I'm gratified by your offer, but I don't think I can fight you."

"Why not?" my friend asked and pouted his lip for maximum melodramatic effect.

"My people, I mean, Martian sparring matches." She started and tried not to look him in the eye, "They're not meant to be exhibitions. It's part of our training and we don't hold back."

"As well you shouldn't." Jadeite responded, rolling his shoulders in their sockets as he loosed up.

"I don't want to risk harming one of my hosts." she politely declined again, "Especially when we've all come here to strive for peace. I don't want to be held accountable if one of Endymion's Shitennou is suddenly stricken with a sword wound."

"I think you overestimate your chances of doing me a grievous injury." Jadeite replied and lowered his body into a traditional fighting stance.

"I think not." Rei denied him again and turned to place her sword back on the stand.

"Am I to understand that Mars is a planet of cowards, then?" Jadeite shouted and I immediately began to fear for his well being, "A dog of war without a bite to back up her bark?"

"I find it odd." Rei seethed through gritting teeth, "That a man such as Endymion, renowned throughout the Alliance for his intelligence and cunning, would choose to remain in the company of such fools!"

"I like to think we keep him grounded in reality." Jadeite replied, appearing completely oblivious to the damage he was doing, "I'd say it's better for him than, oh, let's say … being cooped up with a half dozen sexually frustrated adolescent girls."

The sword was in Rei's hand faster than a flash of lighting. I watched as she wrung her hand around the hilt and her knuckles began to turn snow white. In that moment Jadeite was reveling in the prospect of choosing his own executioner.

"I'll make a deal with you, princess." Jadeite presented his challenge, "We'll fight two traditional duels. If you win, I'll keep my distance and my mouth shut for the duration of your stay in the palace."

If Jadeite was unnerved by the eagerness in the princess' vigorous agreement he didn't show it.

"However, if I win this match." Jadeite plotted maniacally and ran his index finger along his cheek and stopped on his lower lip, "You owe me a make-up kiss."

"The structure of your match allows for a draw, though." Rei keenly observed.

"Oh, absolutely!" Jadeite replied, "If we draw we'll simply accompany each other to my master's grand masquerade tonight and at least present the illusion that we're not leaping at each other's throats."

"I accept." she said curtly, "But in the case of a draw I hope you're not planning on dancing with me at this masquerade."

"Well, the thought had occurred to me." Jadeite replied with a grin, "Why, don't you dance?"

"On the contrary." she replied, "But I don't see how you're going to fare on a dance floor with two broken legs."

"Well, I guess we'll find out!" he shouted happily.

He did not have to wait long. As I expected, Rei was on him in moments. She struck me as the type would consistently be on the offensive. Jadeite's prodding certainly helped ignite a fire under her but I could easily see that she would have been much more at home on the front lines of infantry than holding a defensive position. The clash of metal on metal echoed in the roofless courtyard. I swept my right hand out and invoked a simple spell of silence around the perimeter of the arena so the noise wouldn't attract unwanted spectators.

Rei's attacks were precise and brutal with singular goal of debilitating her opponent as quickly as possible. Unfortunately for her Jadeite was fast with a sword, especially an exotic blade like a katana. The two combatants sidestepped and parried, attempting to strike each other wherever an opening presented itself but they were much too closely matched in this form of combat. Suddenly Jadeite vaulted backwards and changed his grip on the katana, tossing it from his left hand into his right.

"It seems we're both rather good at rudimentary swordplay." Jadeite commented and readied himself for another round, "So let's bring out our specialties."

He charged and Rei brought her blade up defensively. Jadeite's arm spun like a windmill and he began overstating every move he made, making his movements as eye-catching and flashy as possible. Rei saw straight through his grand, ornate swashbuckling style and adapted her attacks to match, keeping Jadeite constantly in motion as she barely moved; deflecting every one of his feints and attacks. His blade swung to her shin and, leaving half of his body open, she brought her free hand around and slammed it into the side of his head.

"You're going to have to do better than this!" Rei threatened and attacked.

Jadeite suddenly found himself on defense. She drove him backward across the courtyard and he had to kick a leg out and push himself off a pillar lest he find himself caught in a corner. He continued his extravagant, erratic swordplay and Rei continued battering his defenses like a woman possessed. Her arms and legs seemed to move like the tendrils of a flame, licking at every opening and striking with unmatched power. My nose twitched and distinctly smelled the scent of charred grass and I wondered if perhaps they'd toppled an oil lamp in their melee that was starting a fire.

Rei sliced the air in front of Jadeite's nose and he quickly brought his arm up to deflect the blow. Holding Rei's arm at bay, he moved to jab with his katana but the princess simply latched onto his arm with her free hand and ripped it away with unprecedented strength. The surprise on Jadeite's face was evident as he now found himself trapped by her iron grip instead of the other way around. He spun his whole body around and flung her off, charging immediately with his sword flailing around him.

Rei simply stood her ground and swung mightily with her gladius which slammed into the blade of Jadeite's katana. The edges ground to a halt against each other and while the thicker blade of the gladius chipped the blade of Jadeite's sword snapped clean in half with hail of sparks. His momentum drove him forward and Rei took advantage of his loss of balance, wrapping her free arm around his neck in a vicious headlock and bringing the tip of her sword directly to Jadeite's nose.

"I win."

"So it would seem." Jadeite chuckled in a hoarse voice and meekly pointed to his throat.

Rei released him forcibly and shoved him backward where the King landed with a thud on the grass, breathing hard. The princess discarded her damaged weapon and picked another similar sword from the weapon rack, returning to where my distressed companion was still rubbing his reddened neck, leaning heavily on his broken sword.

"You're not ready yet?" she asked impatiently.

"Never let it be said that I'm not a man to learn his place." Jadeite replied and picked himself off the ground, "You certainly are a spirited fighter."

"I'm grossly disappointed, general." she suddenly barked, all tones of revelry dropped from her voice, "I was expecting much more talent in a man of your standing."

"Meaning what?" he asked, retrieving a new katana from the weapon rack, this one with a matching black scabbard which held the sword.

"You embrace such fanciful, theatric swordplay." Rei said, almost disgusted, "You seem to think your enemy is watching you for sport and while your flashy movements might throw him off guard, your strikes lack power and finesse."

"Well, I-" Jadeite started to answer but was cut off.

"Against a true master you would have lasted mere seconds as opposed to the minutes we sparred." Rei continued berating him, "I was hoping your lackluster swordsmanship was just a feint but I can't believe you'd actually employ and rely on such a flawed discipline!" she took a breath to continue her lecture, "It's a miracle you've survived the wars you've fought in."

I saw Jadeite's complexion darken immediately. To speak of war was a touchy subject with the youngest king who had been a soldier for most of the years of his life and fought in more campaigns than I could recall. He deserved the ridicule, though, especially given his distasteful remarks to the princess earlier, but I knew that something rather crushing was coming.

"Tell me, princess." Jadeite asked mockingly, "How often do you find yourself pinned down in muddy trench under torrential rain for days at a time with a hundred lifeless bodies of your closest friends offering you the only company?"

Rei took a step back as Jadeite advanced on her, "How often do you find yourself pitted alone against a marauding army of murderers, thieves, and rapists who only want to taste your blood and defile your land? How often, little princess? How often have you been driven to _kill_ to protect what is yours?"

He continued, forcing his steel blue eyes into hers, "I have seen more war than I have peace. I have widowed many women and orphaned many children in the name of my master and each life that cried out as my blade led them to darkness echoes in my head." he raised his scabbard-covered katana to her to view, "I think that affords me the pleasure of _one_ fight where I can be free to indulge in the simple thrill of combat without the constant, looming threat of death."

"I didn't mean to insult your honor, general." Rei said, standing relatively firm against Jadeite's leering onslaught, "But it does not change the fact that I broke through your exhibitionist style easily and won our match."

Jadeite sneered at her, "If you think a strong arm and quick reflexes are all there is to winning a battle you'd best not even step onto the field."

"I know of tactics and-" she started and was interrupted.

"A birthright is one thing, but there's going to come a time when you'll have to fight to protect what you hold dear." Jadeite took a step back and his eyes roved over her face once again, "Will you be ready, Sailor Mars?"

"What?" she asked breathlessly

I immediately uncrossed my arms from my chest and leaned down on the railing to get a better listen to what was being said. A senshi here in the palace and we couldn't detect her presence? The thought of it did not sit well given the volatile nature of the meetings to come.

"You heard me." Jadeite replied with unflinching certainty.

"You're obviously mistaken, general." she replied shakily, "I'm a princess, not a-"

"You were extremely observant during our duel." Jadeite interrupted her, "But I was watching you as you watched me. Your eyes give you away, senshi."

"I am not a senshi." the princess defended.

"I knew you would easily work your way past my theatrical swordplay, so while you were battering away and choosing the best words upon which to impale me I was observing much, much more." Jadeite continued in light of her denial, "Like I said, your eyes give you away."

She paused for a moment, weighing the situation before asking, "How?"

"I can see a fire burning within you." Jadeite replied more seriously than I had ever heard him speak before, "You're empowered by something I don't readily understand. Your movements are too precise and your strikes are too powerful for a woman your size."

"I didn't call on any of my senshi powers during our duel." Rei said firmly.

"But they are there nonetheless." Jadeite said, satisfied that she'd proven his accusation correct, "Yours is the element of fire and I can smell the ashes and smoke from the inferno that powers you. It is a terrifying power indeed."

"That still doesn't mean you would have beaten me if I weren't a senshi." the princess reminded him and motioned to Jadeite's neck which was still red.

"Why don't we find out if your being a senshi affords you any sort of advantage." Jadeite challenged, "We still have one duel left."

"You are incorrigible, master Jadeite." Rei sighed with a hint of mirth, "If you do lose our second bout I might still allow you to speak to me, for no more than amusement's sake."

"I'm not making a joke, my lady." Jadeite replied with disarming seriousness, "I want you to bring your full array of senshi powers to bear." She hesitated for a moment and Jadeite verbally slapped her, "If you fight me as a senshi perhaps this time I'll actually fight back."

Rei grit her teeth and closed her free hand into a fist before fanning out her fingers and thrusting them towards the sky, crying out for the power of her home planet. Immediately her robes dissolved leaving her nude before us as a spectacularly bright light enveloped her, glittering like gold dust. Rings of flame burned to life and encircled her, gently lapping at her exposed flesh. Each tendril of flame that touched her melted into a piece of cloth that comprised her uniform of stunning white and a pleated fuku of blood red. Upon her forehead the astrological symbol of Mars burned like a hot coal before being covered and replaced by a golden tiara with a ruby diadem.

Sailor Mars now stood before a stunned Jadeite who simply said, "Wow."

"I hope you got a good look." she said, admonishing Jadeite's lecherous, slack-jawed gaze, "Because it's not something you'll ever see again outside these walls."

"Then we'll have to spar many more times before you leave us." Jadeite replied, more hopeful than Mars would have appreciated.

"In this form my strength is much greater than any normal human." she warned, "And I will not resist the use of my elemental powers if I feel it necessary." she paused and smirked at the still gawking general, "Though I doubt I'll need to resort to such extremes."

"Don't your legs get cold?" Jadeite asked, completely ignoring her warning.

"Still with your cavalier attitude." she chastised him, "I'll warn you again, general: I'm doing this for _your_ benefit. If you're injured I won't hesitate to explain to your master that you consented to the fight. I'm sure your friend above us will bear witness as well."

"You seem to think you've already won this match." Jadeite smiled and then took his katana from his side and tossed it nonchalantly over his shoulder to land in the grass with a clatter.

"Unarmed?" Rei asked.

"No. We'll both learn something here today." he replied with the mirth returning to his voice, "I said there's more to a battle than brute force. I will learn what it's like to fight against a senshi. You will learn what it's like to face an enemy whose weapons are not forged from iron and steel."

"I won't fight you without a weapon." she ordered.

"Don't worry." Jadeite declared grinning, "You won't land a single blow on me."

That set her blood boiling and she readied herself, "If you insist."

On the offensive from the outset, Sailor Mars charged with her sword held aloft. Jadeite made no effort to move and simply stood casually in her path with his hands limp at his sides. At the last possible moment they flew forward and caught her wrists leaving the tip of her sword resting against his abdomen. With a vicious grin he pulled her forward and drove the blade into his stomach with a sickening tear. Her eyes widened in horror and the color fled her face but the Shitennou's smile never faltered even when blood trickled through the thin cracks of his teeth.

She stepped back, stunned and trembling when suddenly her vision distorted and she saw that the sword was not actually impaling the general. In fact, curiously enough, he was nowhere to be found and her weapon was instead driven deep into one of the sparring dummies scattered throughout arena. She gasped, simultaneously surprised and relieved and her eyes quickly darted around the room and then up at me. Knowing exactly what kind of game Jadeite was playing with her I simply gestured for her to turn around.

Jadeite laughed heartily from where he now hung hovering upside down in midair several feet above her. I had to smile to myself seeing the utter disbelief plastered on Sailor Mars' face. Jadeite was the consummate master of illusion in our ranks and very few powerful sorcerers could match his skill in conjuring phantasms to fool the eye and distort the mind.

"You trust your eyes to much." he chuckled and righted himself, floating gracefully to the ground.

The senshi grit her teeth and charged, snatching up her blade and swinging it viciously at Jadeite but she only chopped through air. His laughter echoed through the courtyard as he appeared behind her again, tapping her leisurely on the shoulder.

"I don't find this amusing." she spat, "Stop wasting time and fight me!"

"I am fighting you." Jadeite corrected her; "There are powers in this universe that can wreak much more havoc than a thousand men with swords."

She lunged at him again but she once more found only air to cleave. He appeared at her side and swept his leg under hers, kicking them out from under her. She hit the ground and quickly rolled into a defensive stance but Jadeite was already gone. She sensed a presence behind her and sprang to attack but once again she cleaved at nothing. Frustrated she reached into the folds of her fuku and produced a thin papyrus scroll which she clutched in her free hand between her index and middle fingers.

"_Akuryo Taisan…"_ she chanted in her native Martian tongue, "Bind to his spirit and reveal this trickery!"

At her words the scroll left her fingers and flew out into the open air of the arena, coming to rest seemingly in midair some yards away from her, but Jadeite's form materialized and he looked shocked to see the charm stuck fast to the front of his uniform. He smiled with the carnal delight of battle and leapt into the air to levitate above the field.

"An excellent technique!" he congratulated her, "You're a fast learner!"

Sailor Mars did not recognize the compliment, instead she simply reached out her gloved, free hand and a flame erupted starting at her fingertips, running across her palm, and eventually engulfing her entire forearm. Jadeite raised an eyebrow in curiosity and listened attentively as she spoke:

"I don't appreciate theatrics and magic tricks, general." Sailor Mars shouted over the roar of the fire clutched in her hand, "What I appreciate is _power_!" A bolt of searing hot flame erupted from her hand and streaked towards Jadeite as she bellowed, "_Fire Soul_!"

Jadeite's eyes widened as the fire filled his vision. All at once he put the pieces together and ripped the charm from his chest and flung it in my direction with a mischievous grin. The charm floated just above my head and I saw the fireball change course in midair to follow it. I dropped to my knees just as the scroll was engulfed in flames. The heat was so intense that the tips of my hair singed and I had to pat them out. When I stood up I saw Jadeite laughing heartily as he descended back down to the arena.

"You still _technically_ haven't hit me yet and that little scroll thing doesn't count." Jadeite teased the senshi whose attack he barely managed to dodge, "Ready to try again?"

"I'm glad you're enjoying this because I'm not." Sailor Mars quipped viciously.

"That's the point." Jadeite told her and drew out the following three words: "War. Isn't. Fun."

Sailor Mars replied with a great sweep of her sword and Jadeite simply dodged out of the way. Every attack she made was countered by my companion's unearthly swift movements. He dodged, ducked, and bent his body to impossible angles to avoid the senshi's strikes and the more she let her frustration show the bigger Jadeite's smile became. Suddenly he disappeared and Sailor Mars stopped in her tracks. Concentrating as hard as she could she anticipated where the young King was going to appear and she swiftly spun around and stabbed her sword into his flesh.

However, in the place of the general she thought would be standing there stood Princess Serenity. Mars couldn't stop herself and the blade had already dug itself into her chest and thick trails of blood were now rolling in rivulets down the young woman's snow white gown. Serenity's eyes were locked in terror as she fell forward. Sailor Mars screamed and caught her, her face bleached. Suddenly she found that instead of Serenity cradled dying in her arms she again held only one of the gray, sand-filled sparring dummies. She fought back her outraged tears and sprang to her feet again, spinning around to face an amused Jadeite.

"How dare you?" she demanded.

"The question is: how dare _you_?" Jadeite replied pointing at her, "You allowed yourself to strike down your own beloved princess? Here I thought the senshi existed only to protect her."

"How could I possibly know if she were behind me?" Rei thundered on the verge of frenzy.

"There are people out there who could actually have brought you to commit such an atrocity." Jadeite said gravely, "And you'd never even know you were doing it."

"I'd kill myself before being used in such a way!" she replied.

"Would you?" Jadeite asked sarcastically and was suddenly standing behind her.

However, he did not startle the senshi this time. Used to the way he moved about and her senses now honed to detect his unique magical signature, she whirled around immediately and swung her sword. Jadeite had to stumble back a step but he could not completely avoid the razor sharp blade. The deadly tip sliced across his right cheek and drew a thin trail of blood. His hand shot up to the wound and a surprised laugh escaped his throat.

"I landed a blow on you, general." Sailor Mars pointed out, enjoying the right to feed Jadeite his own words.

"I guess I was a bit too presumptuous." He confessed and dropped his hands to his sides, "I can't let that happen again."

He clenched his fists at drew his arms back, releasing a guttural roar that sent birds scattering from the bushes and forced Sailor Mars a step back. Immediately the sky above turned slate black and powerful bolts of lightning struck the ground all around the two combatants searing the earth. The ground shook beneath us and columns began to topple over. The grand balcony gave way and crashed to the earth. Sailor Mars lost her balance and was forced to a knee. When she looked up all she saw was a titanic slab of stone loosed from the collapsing palace streaking straight towards her. She had no time to react and no time to scream so she simply forced her eyes closed and turned her head.

Instead of the crushing weight of a humongous piece of masonry falling on her she felt only the slight prick of a cold metal blade under her neck. She very slowly opened her eyes which because of her crouched, fetal position were fixed on her knees. When she turned her head up she saw Jadeite standing above her with a less than impressed look on his face holding his katana under her chin.

"I win." He announced quietly.

Her eyes looked past him at the pristine, untouched walls of the courtyard. The sky was a brilliant blue and a birdsong quietly wafted across the grass. No lightning, no earthquakes, no death; it was all so bone-chillingly normal. She was confused and angry but in light of it made no effort to force Jadeite away as he helped her back to her feet.

"I suppose that's the first time you've fought an illusionist." Jadeite assumed to which Rei silently nodded, "Well, to be honest I'm impressed you caught on to my movements so quickly. In time and with training you can overcome anything and phantasms are actually pretty easy to ignore once you know where to look instead."

"Do you know how much agony I will now feel whenever I remember the illusion of striking Serenity?" Her eyes lifted to the King's and she almost whispered, "Why would you do that to me?"

"Because the true power of an illusion isn't the illusion itself but how you react to it." Jadeite replied in the voice of a teacher, "I apologize if it's going to cause you any excessive grief, but I think you'll come out stronger for it."

"Stronger?" she asked severely and couldn't help but laugh, "You say that as if you know me much better than you actually do."

"The people of this kingdom are my business. I spend more time talking, working, and learning with them than anyone else." Jadeite explained, "It's made me a pretty quick judge of character."

"And how do you judge me?" She hazarded a rather loaded question.

"Oh, I don't know if I have scales large enough to judge you, Sailor Mars." Jadeite replied with another of his innumerable sideways grins.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked amusedly.

I called down from my height, "It means he thinks the fuku makes you look fat."

Jadeite's eyes blew up like saucers and his neck snapped in my direction just as Sailor Mars, with a yelp of insult, connected her palm with the general's face and turned away to storm out of the courtyard now very nicely playing the role of hard to get. I had to laugh out loud as Jadeite made an impolite hand gesture towards me and chased after her, shouting his defense for the whole palace to hear. Another loud crack of flesh against flesh preceded the general's distinct cry of pain. It seemed that Jadeite had made a new friend.

I smiled to myself and turned to walk away when suddenly I saw a rather disheveled, exhausted looking Nephrite standing in the archway directly ahead of me. His eyes were bloodshot, staring straight ahead and it looked like he hadn't changed his uniform in days though it had only been a few hours. He reached out to lean heavily on one of the arches and his vision wandered to my face.

"Zoisite …" he said distantly, squinting as if to be sure it was actually me he was looking at.

"That wine does pack quite a punch." I said as I started to walk past him.

His hand shot out to my chest immediately and stopped me in my tracks. My blood ran cold at his touch and looking up into his eyes I saw the faintest dark premonition of the Nephrite of Acheron attempting to assert control. He winced and seemed to be trying to fight the darkness back.

"I was star gazing." he said quickly, a hoarse voice escaping his throat.

"You're exhausted." I quickly observed, wanting to move him to a more secure location in the unwelcome event that the Nephrite of Acheron was going to make a return appearance.

"I felt something when the princesses arrived." Nephrite continued in spite of me and his hand on my chest fell limp again as the encroaching darkness in his eyes thankfully receded.

"What did you feel?" I asked, somewhat relieved.

"I can't explain it." he said shaking his head and then met my eyes with his steely gaze which seemed to communicate more dread than his words ever could, "Something is wrong." He looked over my shoulder as if his eyes could see something hovering in the air near us that no one else could detect and he repeated himself, "_Very _wrong."

Before either of us could speak an explosion nearby called our attention and we cast our glances south to the city gates some hundreds of yards away. A commotion rang out in the streets as legions of soldiers began to form ranks and the citizens fled for cover. A series of smaller explosions followed and then we heard the unmistakable clamor of siege engines hurling boulders against the city walls.

"To arms!" we heard one of the heralds call, "To arms! The Dark Kingdom is attacking the city!"

Nephrite and I were running before the herald had even finished his sentence. My mind raced with the anticipation of the coming battle, but I forced it away to calm myself and concentrate. No one had expected an attack from the Dark Kingdom even on one of the smaller counties let alone the capital city itself. Such an attack could mean two things: either the Dark Kingdom had been able to attack us here all along and they were just waiting for an opportunity, or that this was a skirmish meant only to test us and gauge our relative strength.

Whatever the reason, the unfortunate youma who would make it past the exterior defenses would have to answer to the power, skill, and blades of the Four Heavenly Kings of Elysion.


	13. Chapter 10, The Winds of War

**TEN**

**The Winds of War**

Outside the city walls stood the fringes of an old forest which gave way to the great swaying emerald sea of the Elysian Fields. Near the borders of the forest stood the remnants of a secret place which was little more than a rectangular foundation of broken and eroded fieldstone in the middle of a verdant meadow with a single mighty oak tree standing guard nearby. To any passers-by the ruins would seem inconsequential; just another one of the many abandoned remnants of a farm-hut outside the city walls, but this was all that was left of the home where Endymion was born.

Whenever Prince Endymion and Princess Serenity were together they always managed to slip away frequently, unannounced and undetected by every set of eyes in the palace guard. I myself knew of a few of their secret hiding spots whether they be tucked away under the boughs of ancient willow trees in one of the gardens or locked in an older, disused room of the castle where no one would find them. However, this one square of stone was sacred to them. Try as I might, whenever Endymion would take her there I could never bring myself to ever encroach upon them or attempt to pull them away.

My master sat in the soft grass with his back leaning against the oak tree. Serenity's white gown gathered in sheets at the foot of the tree and her head rested in Endymion's lap as he gently stroked his hand time and again across her cheek and twisted silken strands of her hair around his fingers. Sometimes she would interrupt him, pull herself up to plant a kiss upon his lips, and settle back down again, but for now she remained still, simply enjoying the peaceful moment and the company of the man she loved.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked him quietly and gently tugged on the sleeve of his informal black tunic.

"Well you of course." He said and reclined further, resting his cheek on the top of her head, "My people, the Earth… everything, really."

"Do you always have so much on your mind?" she asked him.

"Yes, I do." He sighed in reply, "There's so much happening on the Earth right now. Sometimes I feel like the planet is ready to spin apart at the seams."

"You don't have to deal with every little thing yourself, Endy." She told him, her hand now intertwined with one of his, "You have your Four Kings to count on."

"I know, but…" Endymion replied and glanced towards the sky and the cosmos beyond, "Your mother somehow manages to govern the Moon _and_ keeps watch over eight of the other planets where I can barely maintain order on one."

"Endymion, I know you and my mother are close. I remember when you came to stay at the palace as a child and how she took you in when your parents died." Serenity said soothingly before looking straight up into the prince's eyes, "But you need to stop thinking that for whatever reason you're not measuring up to her expectations."

"I know, I know." He agreed and shook his head, "It's just that the lessons I learned from Queen Serenity don't seem to be serving me at the moment, like Haruka said at dinner last night. Perhaps against a conventional foe, a rival country, or one of the other planets I would fare better, but against this Dark Kingdom I have no idea how to proceed."

"My mother's teachings were certainly a great gift to you." Serenity stated and laid her free hand over Endymion's heart, "But Endymion is Prince of the Earth and I know he won't let anything happen to his beloved home whether the words of Queen Serenity can help him or not."

"If only the politicians always had such faith in me." Endymion stood, pulling Serenity along with him, "Speaking of which, we should get back to the palace. It'll be bad enough if they find we're not there, let alone within the city walls."

Serenity nodded her agreement and stood on tiptoe to kiss Endymion again, but before their lips met a great explosion from some distance away interrupted the embrace. She jumped with a start and the prince instinctively grabbed his sword from the ground which he habitually carried and unsheathed it in the same stroke. A lofty green hill to the north obscured their view of the city, but they both saw wisps of smoke begin to rise from behind the grassy knoll. Endymion rushed forward to the top of the hill and nearly stumbled when he saw the scene beyond.

The city was under attack! Five massive siege machines made of wood and covered with beaten iron plates resembling dragon scales stood hurling house-sized boulders at the city walls surrounded by hundreds of shouting, cursing, and howling youma. Endymion fell to the ground and pulled Serenity along with him so as not to be spotted even though they were at least a mile away from the city.

"The Dark Kingdom!" Endymion gasped and attempted to take in the battle brewing below, "Here in the Elysian Fields? How could they be _here_ without my having sensed them?"

"We're helpless out here, Endy!" Serenity whispered with panicked urgency, "If the Dark Kingdom were to discover us—"

"I won't let anything happen to you." The prince interrupted and pulled her close to his prone body, "I swear, Serenity, I'd never let them hurt you."

"Not me!" she cried back, "If they find _you _they could hold you for ransom! They could hold the whole Earth hostage! You need to get to safety!"

"No, _we_ need to get to safety." He corrected her, as always putting her well-being before his own, "The only way we can make it back to the city is to move as quickly and stealthily as possible. If we stay low and stick to the forest we can reach the settlements outside the walls and hide there until the garrison comes out to drive back their lines."

"So then we make a mad dash for the gates?" Serenity asked incredulously, "Remind me to ask my mother exactly _what_ she taught you."

"Trust me, princess." Endymion said as he slid himself down the hill with Serenity in his arms. Once at the base of the hill they both jumped to their feet. "It's only a few hundred yards to the walls. Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." She assured the prince as she ripped the bottom half of her elegant white gown off to better facilitate running, "Let's go."

With that the prince and princess sprinted towards the edge of the forest which stood a great distance away on the other side of the rolling green fields. Gray clouds began to collect overhead as low peals of thunder rumbled in the sky above. Endymion's grip on his sword tightened as over his shoulder he caught a glance of Serenity running alongside him, a determined look on her face where he was sure sheer terror would be. He smiled in recognition of the slightest inkling of her well-hidden strength in spite of the situation as they entered the forest and began weaving their way through the trees knowing the city walls and safety were only a few minutes ahead.

* * *

Nephrite and I rushed into the armory after collecting our blades from our respective chambers to find Jadeite half-suited up in a mix of leather and chainmail armor. The chain links made up a shirt over which he wore a thick leather brigandine. He had knee-high boots and over a pair of leather pants he wore another armored set of chain protecting his thighs. Two belts were crossed over his lower quarter, one holding his well-worn long blade with its slight, scimitar-like curve, the other holding a shorter parrying dagger. Jadeite's eyes were already afire with the looming prospect of battle and he bared his teeth at us offering a carnal grin.

"Where have you two been?" Jadeite asked as he laced up the threads of his leather bracers, "Here I thought I was going to have to do this all by myself."

"I could ask you the same thing!" I shouted back as I began pulling my armor out of my private chest, "You certainly got here quickly considering I saw you only a few moments ago pursuing an evasive princess towards her room."

"I'm a man torn between my love of chasing women and my love of chasing battle." Jadeite replied honestly and checked the edge of his sword for a keen edge, "Who knows, maybe another day Rei will win out."

I smirked at him and suited myself for the coming battle. I, like Jadeite, favored wearing a hauberk of chain links under a hardened leather breastplate. However, I added segmented plate spaulders to cover my shoulders, steel bracers, fingerless leather gloves, and bandoleer of razor-sharp throwing knives buckled across my chest. My favored blade, a lightweight one-handed sword was lashed to my side, and in a scabbard tied to my left boot was my long, elegantly curved-bladed dagger. I finished tying up my boots to see Nephrite buckling his sword belt over the simple leather pants and long, naval-styled coat that he wore.

"We're not going for an afternoon stroll, Nephrite." I reminded my companion, "Hurry up and get suited."

"I am suited." He replied in his usual taciturn manner.

"Nephrite I know these things sometimes slip your mind." Jadeite only half-joked with the elder king, "But you generally wear at least some type of armor when you walk out into the middle of a war."

"The stars will protect me." Nephrite stated as his stubborn faith in his newfound mysticism became apparent.

"I don't care for this new philosophy of yours, Nephrite." I stated my warning as best I could, "It's one thing to trust in your own skills, but to put your life in the hands of the stars, to walk arrogantly on to a field of battle with no protection is just a little bit reckless, don't you think?"

"What's reckless is this attack by the Dark Kingdom." Nephrite replied ignoring my advice, "They have no numbers to oppose us, they must know they face certain destruction here. What do they hope to accomplish?"

"It is a bit odd, isn't it?" Jadeite asked as he made one final check for preparedness, "Shall we go ask them ourselves?"

Nephrite nodded his reply and followed Jadeite out the door. The burly, auburn-haired king had nothing more than his twin cutlasses clasped to his side, but as he passed a weapons rack he spied a humongous, crescent-headed war axe with a studded leather-wrapped stock that he pulled into his grip as though it were his most cherished possession. He smiled viciously, testing the axe's weight as he walked out the door.

I followed closely behind into the hallway that connected the armory to the city garrison. We walked out into the courtyard which stood a stone's throw from the massive city gates and were swept up in the stampede of metal-clad soldiers as they rushed to form up and take the fight to the enemy. At the head of the formations Kunzite was conversing with two lieutenants as he anxiously paced back and forth, grimacing every time one of the attacking siege engines landed a missile against the walls which made a sound not unlike the roar of the ocean crashing against a set of cliffs.

Kunzite himself was encased in a suit of plate armor consisting of greaves and vambraces fully covering his legs and arms, a mighty breastplate, and pauldrons on his shoulders whose protective steel wings framed his head and flowing white mane. A billowing white cape trimmed on the inside with navy blue trailed behind him down to his heels. With his armor polished and his sword strapped to his side Kunzite was a fearsome sight to behold and his commanding presence served only to galvanize his soldier's courage.

"There you are." Kunzite said and looked us over, halting his gaze on Nephrite still in his civilian attire, "Do you intend to join us today, or are you just taking up valuable space, Nephrite?"

"Don't worry about me." Nephrite assured the eldest King and tightened his grip on his axe for effect.

Kunzite shook his head and turned back to Jadeite and I saying, "The first order of business is to shut down those siege engines."

"As long as your men can keep the Dark Kingdom's main forces occupied we shouldn't have any trouble slipping around behind their lines." Jadeite said with the seriousness that he could only muster in times of strife.

"Good." Kunzite said with an approving nod and continued, "After you take out those catapults I'm going to send my men into the center of their ranks. I want you three to cut in from behind; meet us in the middle and divide their forces into two groups. Once we separate them I want you each to take command of a unit and surround them. Jadeite and I will focus on one group, Nephrite and Zoisite on the other."

"I'll send two of my cavalry units to guard the flanks and cover any attempts at escape." Nephrite added to which Kunzite agreed, "None of these creatures will be allowed to flee."

The eldest King seemed confident in the relatively simple plan and looked ready to give the order to move out when a herald approached at full sprint shouting, "My Lord Kunzite!"

"What is it, soldier?" he asked brusquely.

"We've searched the entire palace, sir, but we can't find Prince Endymion!" the herald spoke quickly and Kunzite's expression turned immediately sour, "None of the attendants have seen him. He was not with the lunar delegation and he was not in his chambers."

"He must be with Princess Serenity." I mentioned to Kunzite hoping I could keep my voice low enough so few to none of the soldiers could hear me.

Kunzite was about to answer when the herald cut him off, "Another thing, sir. When we went to his chambers the guard captain noticed the prince's sword was missing."

An unwelcome hush fell over our small group as the thunderous blows of boulders against the city walls continued to echo in the courtyard. The herald took a step back and cast his eyes to the ground waiting for Kunzite to issue new orders. The stoic King remained silent and the earth seemed to stand still.

"If Endymion took his sword with him, then-" Jadeite spoke and his voice caught in his throat.

"He must be _outside _the walls." Kunzite finished for him and gritted his teeth.

I heard murmurs from the soldiers both worried and angry. Several of them suggested that the Princess from the Moon must have seduced Endymion away from the city and betrayed him to the Dark Kingdom, but I let the ignorant comments pass by in light of the very real danger that my master may have been inadvertently placed in mortal peril. All of the Shitennou knew of our master's infatuation and (so far outside of our fellowship) secret courtship of the Princess, but to openly reveal any information on the topic even now when war and battle were foremost in everyone's minds would have been ill advised.

Kunzite turned to face me directly and demanded, "Zoisite?"

"Yes?"

"Can you handle those catapults on your own?"

I glanced at the city walls imagining the swarming masses of youma and their infernal devices beyond and without a moment's hesitation answered, "Yes."

"Good." The commanding King replied and turned to my two colleagues, "Jadeite? Nephrite?"

"We'll find him." Jadeite spoke assuredly and Nephrite nodded his agreement.

"You know Endymion is an excellent tactician." Kunzite told the would-be rescue party, "My guess is wherever he may be outside the city he is first and foremost attempting to stay out of sight."

"The western woods would be the best place to hide so as not to attract attention." Nephrite noted but shrugged slightly when he added, "Of course it would also be the perfect place to lay an ambush."

"If he calls on any of his elemental powers we will be able to sense him immediately." I mention.

"And I'm sure the entire Dark Kingdom would sense it as well." Kunzite added with a frown, "The Elysian Fields run south and east for miles before meeting mountain or river. " He paused and considered the options, "I agree with Nephrite; focus your search on the woods."

"As soon as you give the order." Jadeite promised and stared through Kunzite at the massive gates, "Once we get out there we'll carve a path through the youma and we won't stop until we reach the forest."

"Be safe." Were Kunzite's last words to us and he turned away to face the garrison of men, two thousand strong assembled in the courtyard.

"_Brothers of Elysion!"_ our mighty commander bellowed at the top of his lungs so that even the slathering mass of youma beyond the walls could hear him, "The Dark Kingdom has come to murder our families, burn our city, and defile our sacred traditions! They _will not_ succeed. They _will _fail! Earn your honor today, men! Our Golden Kingdom has never faced a foe like this before; show them we do not fear their barbarism and black magic. Send them screaming back to the pits they crawled from. For honor! For Elysion! For Endymion!"

"_ENDYMION!"_ the host of soldiers cried with furious resolve and we joined in their chorus.

Kunzite turned to six soldiers who stood near the gates ready to operate the massive latches and counterweights that held the twin ironclad doors shut. He drew his sword and the Shitennou and legions of infantry behind us did the same. Kunzite nodded at us one more time and turned to give the order.

"Open the gates."

* * *

Endymion and Serenity darted through the forest as quickly as their legs could carry them while still attempting some measure of stealth. Every crackling leaf, snapping twig, and clattering rock might as well have been a band of blaring trumpeters following at their heels. They leapt over logs and streams, slid down mossy embankments, and ducked under and through the thick web of branches and claustrophobic flora of the forest.

"Tired yet?" Endymion huffed as he dodged around a birch tree, another birch tree, and rushed through a group of maple saplings that seemed to bend their limbs out of the Prince of Earth's path.

"No, are you?" asked the sprinting Princess who wove her own serpentine pattern through the growth both ancient and novice.

A blur of greens, browns, and yellows was all the racing monarchs could tell of the forest which at any other time would have been lazily strolled through and admired. They clamored their way into a clearing where a herd of white-tailed deer were grazing and Serenity expected them to flee in an opposite direction out of fear. She was therefore struck with awe when the animals seemed to recognize the duo's plight and scurried together into a stampede alongside them a half-dozen strong. The beasts intended to protect them and especially Endymion from whatever harm they were fleeing. Serenity marveled at the spectacle and tugged on the Prince's cape as they ran. The Prince smiled back at her and put two fingers to his lips, blowing a shrill whistling command. The herd slowed their pace and bleated out their response which sounded distinctly disappointed in tone as they broke away and ran off deeper into the woods away from them.

"No point in getting them caught up in this." Endymion said as he continued running.

Serenity nodded with a smile. She would never understand the strange power her loving Prince had over the creatures of this planet. The moon was a cold, rocky place with her home and everything she knew built of colorless stone or translucent crystal. There were plants, flowers and animals of course, but nothing like the vast array of flora and fauna that could be found on this strange blue world. There was more variety of life in a square meter of the Earth than in the whole of the Moon. And all of it, the birds, the insects, the flowers, and even the wind and rain were Endymion's to command, but never once did he do so out of vanity or pride. He respected every living thing as though they were extensions of his own family. In a way, especially after the death of his parents when he was so young, the creatures of this planet _were_ his family. The energy of the planet nurtured and empowered him and he in turn was the great protector of the Earth. One could not live without the other.

"Serenity, look out!" she heard Endymion's voice too late as the broad trunk of a pine tree interrupted her mental musings and she slammed to a halt against the jagged bark.

She yelped out in pain and slid to the ground clutching her right arm which had taken the full impact of the tree. Endymion skidded to a halt and rushed to her side, grabbed her arm, and gently disposed of the torn fabric to get a better look at any injury she may have sustained.

"How many times is that?" she asked as she panted from the exertion of running and winced from the pain of her sudden halt.

"How many times is what?" Endymion asked back with a supportive smile as he gently massaged her arm which was already showing a bruise.

"That I've run into walls or columns or trees when we're together?" she asked with a chuckle and leaned back against the abusive tree, "I lost count around fifteen."

Endymion laughed and shrugged as he reached up to brush a few flecks of dried leaves from the Princess' golden hair. Serenity laughed with him and briefly forgot their situation. As she reached up to pull him closer into an embrace she heard a loud snap to her right followed by trees rustling louder and louder interspersed with bestial grunts and howls. She went stiff immediately and Endymion pulled her to her feet, taking a defensive stance in front of her and drawing his sword which he had sheathed during their escape into the forest.

All at once a group of red-eyed, drooling, leathery-skinned youma of all shapes and sizes emerged from the trees and formed a ring around the Prince and Princess. There were at least a dozen of the fiendish creatures; some with horns and fangs, others with spiked talons, tails and lizard-like hides. Several of them bore weapons including swords, clubs, and axes, but the majority was unarmed looking as though they preferred to use their claws and vicious teeth to tear apart their prey. Serenity gulped hard to force down her fear. In truth she was terrified, but she was also in the company of Endymion, the Prince of Elysion and the one man whom she knew would be able to usher them safely through this danger.

Serenity herself was not afraid of fighting as she had sparred many times with her senshi protectors. These were secret bouts which served as a sort of hands-on training exercise for the princess who one day wished to be able to defend herself. Her mother, Queen Serenity, had forbidden her daughter to receive training as a senshi even though she was born with the ability to become one. Every planet boasted its own senshi for countless generations, but the title of Sailor Moon had not been taken since ancient times in an era before even the seemingly ageless Queen Serenity had lived. Tradition stated that the last time a senshi was born on the Moon a great calamity swept through the galaxy which flung the Earth and all the other planets into a terrible dark age. Since then a festering anxiety has spread throughout the civilized kingdoms that if anyone were to assume the title of Sailor Moon again that a second disaster would occur.

But traditions and superstitions aside, Serenity knew that even if she could claim her birthright as Sailor Moon it would do her little good in the confrontation to come. There were many youma, the young couple had no visible escape route, and even if they managed to defeat this group there was still the task of making it safely back to the city, crossing through the battlefield, and somehow managing to repel the attackers, assemble an army, and win the war against the Dark Kingdom. _One thing at a time_, she thought.

"Well, well. Look at this." An apparently female youma with red hair and putrid gray skin stretched over a wiry, emaciated body spoke in a gargling voice, "Here we were sent to kill any rangers or woodsmen hiding out in the forest and we find none other than our Queen's most-wanted adversaries."

"Your queen will answer for what she's done to my people." Endymion assured the youma, "And when we've cut through your rabble and crushed your army we will come for her."

The monster shrieked like a dying hyena and the rest of the crowd howled with sickening laughter whose awful sound enveloped the pair like loathsome smog in the closed-in space of the forest. The youma licked their sharpened teeth as they laughed and leveled their weapons at Endymion and Serenity as they moved their circle in ever closer.

"Come no further." Endymion ordered as spun his sword around in his hand and pointed the sharpened tip towards his heart, "You will let Serenity go free or so help me I will die where I stand, then your queen's prize is lost."

"Endymion, no!" the Princess shouted and Endymion held her away with his free hand.

"You pathetic, prideful little man." The red-haired youma cackled along with her slathering companions, "If you run yourself through now you will simply save me the trouble of doing it myself in a few moments."

"Do not test me, monster!" Endymion ordered and thrust the tip of his sword against his chest with a painful grimace.

"My queen does not wish to claim you as a prize." She spoke and drew a jagged saber from a tattered leather scabbard on her back, "She wishes you both to die painfully, preferably screaming and begging for mercy."

With that the youma charged and the group closed in around the prince and princess. Without hesitation Endymion spun his sword back into its proper grip and slashed at an approaching youma with canine features and hair all over its body; a creature resembling the legendary werewolf. With no time to react to Prince's swing the blade struck true and cut down the monster with a vicious slice across the neck and chest. With the circle broken the Prince grabbed Serenity by the arm and sprinted away, leaping past the werewolf as it died which spurted it's disgusting blood on them from the Prince's fatal wound. The rest of the screaming, swearing youma gave chase and closed the distance rapidly leaving no less than a few strides between them and their prey.

Endymion glanced over his shoulder to see one of the demons leap into the air with both arms outstretched. Without even having to speak the Prince looked his Princess in the eye and communicated his intention. Endymion let go of his sword and in a split second Serenity snatched it out of the air as it fell towards her, spun around, and sliced off the leaping youma's arms. It crashed to the ground howling in defeat and two other pursuing monsters stumbled over the maimed creature and fell behind the main group. Serenity followed her motion through and tossed the sword back to Endymion's waiting grasp.

In just seconds four of the youma had been dispatched or taken out of the immediate fight, but there were still eight of the deadly, slobbering things chasing them and they were only mere steps behind. The duo ran into a clearing where a stream babbled lazily and they cleared it in a spectacular leap. Seven of the youma did as well with one falling short. The horned demon's booted foot landed sideways on a slippery rock and snapped its ankle with an awful crack that was loud enough to be heard over the stamping feet, roars, and rustle of the forest. The creature let out a terrible cry and rolled pitifully in the icy waters of the stream, pawing at its ruined joint and officially out of the chase.

The forest was flying past them in a blur, but even as the distances passed quickly Endymion knew they would not be able to reach any sort of safety until the youma pursuing them either gave up were somehow all defeated. The Prince and Princess were still moving as fast as they could, but at such a pace they would quickly drain themselves and they would be overtaken by the terrible beasts at their heels. The choice was simple: they had to thin their numbers.

A perfect opportunity presented itself as they wove through the forest and Endymion spied a large crop of rose bushes growing between two large oak trees. As they ran past he reached out his hand, summoned up his will against the coming pain, and grabbed at the bush. Thorns dug into his flesh and tore long gashes across his arm. Blood sprayed in droplets, some of which splattered on the pursuing youma who enthusiastically slurped it up with their grotesque tongues. The Prince cried out in pain but fought against it. There were five blooming roses in his hand and several feet of stems and thorns. He lifted the flowers to his mouth and bit down on the stems, tearing off the excess and slicing his lips and the corner of his mouth with the thorns. He spat out the remains and clutched the flowers in his hand.

"What are you doing?" Serenity screamed in horror as she turned to see the now-bloodied prince gritting his teeth against the pain and seeing green flecks of stems and blood peppering his teeth.

"Just a neat trick of mine." the Prince answered, somehow managing to remain lighthearted given the gravity of their situation.

The duo came to a large fallen tree which they could easily jump over. Serenity leapt over it with a graceful bound but as Endymion approached he put one foot on the trunk and used it to propel himself into the air. He twisted his body as he jumped and flung his hand which was clutching the roses towards the pursuing youma and released them all at once. To the surprise of both Serenity and her would-be assassins the roses flew straight paths like arrows and each one struck one of the creatures. The roses buried themselves up to their petals as though their stems were made of steel. The five youma stumbled and clawed at the stiletto flowers but could not easily pull them from their bodies thanks to the jagged thorns and they fell behind, wailing in agony and frustration. Now only two youma were left including the redhead whose eyes burned with such intense hatred Serenity was sure the surrounding woods would burst into flame at any moment.

Endymion hit the ground after his unexpected attack and tried to keep running, but his balance was off when he landed. He stumbled once looking as though he would be able to catch himself, but then tripped over his own feet and struck the forest floor hard. Serenity stopped running immediately after she saw the prince stumble and heart sank as she watched him fall. The monsters overtook them in a mere moment. She wanted to scream, but no sound would come out thanks to the strong, bony hand of the red-haired youma around her neck. Endymion looked up to see his beloved Serenity in the grip of the monster and tried to get up to attack, but the second remaining, sword-wielding youma was behind him and placed a clawed foot on the Prince's back and forced him to the ground.

"I hate running." The female youma wheezed and clutched at her side with her free hand as she held Serenity aloft.

Serenity struggled against her grasp, but the monster was simply too strong for her to pry her hand away. She kicked at the youma's loins and abdomen and dug her nails into the flesh of its claws, but to no avail. The Princess couldn't breathe and she was well aware unless she could get herself out of the demon's grip she wouldn't last for more than a few seconds. Her eyes welled with tears as she watched the other youma thrust Endymion to the ground with his heel. The Prince's eyes met with hers and she knew instinctively that he was apologizing. She knew she was crying, but the youma's grip on her was so strong she couldn't even feel the tears run down her face. It wasn't fair, not when all the planets had agreed to come to Earth to attempt to strive for peace. Not when she could _finally_ be together with Endymion, alone, just the two of them. It was too soon. Even if the Dark Kingdom would defeat the Elysian Army, destroy the Earth and attack her own beloved Moon Kingdom, _this_ was too soon.

"_I love you!"_ she screamed in her mind since her mouth was useless.

"_I love you too."_ She distinctly heard the Prince's voice in her head. At least that comforted her.

Suddenly the horrible pressure around her neck was gone. Serenity briefly thought that she had died and was leaving her body and the pain behind, but when she sucked in an agonizing, cold, yet ecstatically rejuvenating breath she realized that for whatever reason the youma had released her. The monster still stood there with its hand around her throat, but its grip had relaxed. She looked harder and saw the female monster's eyes had glossed over and her head was sitting at an odd angle. All at once the head tilted to one side and the horrible, stomach-turning sound of crushed bone and torn muscle let Serenity know that the youma's neck had been broken.

"Serenity, run!" she heard her prince scream as the youma's lifeless body slumped to the ground in front of her.

"Quiet!" the second remaining youma shouted and picked its foot up to stop down on Endymion's skull.

Instead of following through that act, the youma instead cried out in agony as its other knee gave out for no discernable reason. Serenity heard the same terrible noise and realized the youma's knee had somehow been shattered. Out of the corner of her eye, almost too fast and faint to see she saw a streak of white slice the air near the youma's neck and sure enough the monster's eyes bugged out of its skull for a moment and it fell forward on top of Endymion, dead.

Serenity rushed towards Endymion and the Prince pulled himself out from underneath the reeking, dead corpse of the youma. Serenity helped the prince to his feet and once he was standing immediately embraced him.

"I thought that was the end." she cried and his hand came to rest on the top of her head, stroking gently through her hair.

"So did I." he agreed and a smile spread across his face, "But it looks like we had a guardian angel watching out for us."

"You're right…" she spoke and wiped her eyes, ignoring the pain that was still present and throbbing around her bruised neck, "What happened?"

"_I_ happened." A smooth, male voice spoke to them that seemed to come from all directions at once.

The wind blew sharply at them from the east and the Prince and Princess turned to behold their savior. He was a young man and looked to be only about eighteen. His hair was white, longer than the Prince's, but styled similarly. Around his neck he wore two simple black cords, one of which held a golden pendant in the shape of a cross contained within a circle, the Sun Cross, the symbol of the planet Earth and the symbol of Elysion, the Golden Kingdom. The young man wore a robe which was snow-white with long sleeves and cuffs trimmed in blue with five golden tassels across the chest arranged in a "V" pattern. His pants were the same color and on his feet he wore open sandals. He smiled at Serenity, a soft, solemn smile and then reverently bowed to Endymion.

"It is an honor as always to serve you, my Prince." The young man spoke in an airy, melodic voice that would have been more at home in an abbey or monastery than in a dark forest where a battle had just taken place.

Endymion shook his head disapprovingly and laid a hand on the man's shoulder, "You do not bow to me on this, or any other day, my friend. If anything I should _grovel_ to you."

"Princes do not grovel to priests, my lord." The man replied and Endymion chuckled slightly.

"Endymion, who is this man?" Serenity asked, still trying to piece together exactly how this enigmatic figure found them and more importantly what he had done that dispatched their attackers so quickly.

"My apologies, Princess." Endymion apologized and ushered the young man forward, "Princess Serenity may I present Helios, the High Priest of Elysion." The priest bowed formally again and took Serenity's hand in his own, placing a gentle kiss upon it which to Serenity's touch felt like a jarring, but pleasantly painless electrical shock.

"Helios was my spiritual guide when I was growing up." Endymion continued, "I know he looks young to your eyes, Serenity, but Helios has been Elysion's most stalwart protector for as long as there has been a kingdom to protect." Endymion and Helios glanced at each other communicating a deep, silent respect as the prince said, "And he's saved my life more times than I can count."

"And all I can say is I'm glad I had the opportunity to be of service to you, Master." Helios replied with as much, if not more conviction and reverence than any of Endymion's Shitennou, "But we mustn't linger here reminiscing of past glories. I will see you safely to the city and there we must begin immediate preparations."

"Helios, you know Kunzite has already organized the defenses." Endymion said with a nod of his head in the direction of the battlefield, "By the time we get there the fighting is likely to be over."

"No, my prince." Helios replied severely and Endymion's face fell knowing fully that when Helios spoke in such tones to be mindful of his words, "The force that now attacks the capital city is nothing but the breaking waves ahead of the tsunami."

"What do you mean?" Serenity asked, the fear again creeping into her voice.

"I mean the enemy has yet to reveal its true purpose for attacking us today." Helios replied and turned back to Endymion whose expression steeled and whose fists clenched at the priest's final words:

"If we don't return to the city within minutes, there may not be a city left to return to."


	14. Chapter 11, The Siege of Elysion

**ELEVEN**

**The Siege of Elysion**

War is a loud, ruinous, discordant thing. You have the crashing of boulders against the stone walls of a castle; the clang of sword on sword; the grunting, shouting, and screaming of the soldiers; the twang and whizz of bow and arrow; the cries of the wounded and agonizing wails of the defeated. On the battlefield I hear none of it. The last voice I heard was that of Kunzite ordering the gates open. As soon as my feet began to move and my eyes caught sight of the youma with their weapons and foul magic primed my world became utterly silent. It is only through experience and strength of will that I can enter such a state for I rely on concentration above all when deeds such as those must be done.

I strive to avoid violence in all things, but against a foe such as the Dark Kingdom the well-known, ancient axiom is inverted and violence becomes the _only_ answer. Even so, as my blade sank into the abdomen of the first youma that came too near to me and I felt the steel cut through muscle and flesh, I let the familiar rush of adrenaline wash over me and could not help but likening the feeling to slipping into an old, well-worn pair of shoes that fit _just _right. In spite of myself I smiled, placed my boot on the youma's chest and forced the foul thing off my sword. It gurgled a pitiful attempt at a curse that I did not hear and I silenced it with a jab to its heart.

I retrieved my sword from the dead youma and let out a booming cry: _"FIRST BLOOD!"_

I saw Jadeite to my immediate left grappling with a youma and even in the midst of his melee I could see him shake his head in disappointment. Nephrite too stood only a few strides from the open gates battling five of the creatures with his mighty axe and I heard him curse my name. Kunzite had not yet taken the field, but I'm sure he would have reacted similarly. It was customary whenever the Shitennou did battle together for the combatant who slew the first enemy to claim the right of First Blood. Tradition dictated that whichever of us scored the first kill was owed a round of drinks when the battle was finished. It was perhaps not a game forged in the best of tastes, but in times of war the Shitennou _are_ warriors, and we are men, so we must occasionally indulge our baser impulses.

The field in front of the city was suddenly astir with the frenzy of battle. Soldiers poured out of the gates screaming for vengeance and invoking the name of our Master Endymion as their battle cry. The armies of man and monster clashed at the front lines and blood began to spill immediately. The telltale sounds of scream, sword, and sundering earth were lost to me in my state of perfect concentration. A second youma wearing armor seemingly made of ivory tusks darted towards me from my extreme right and my blade lashed out against it. My eyes were cast straight ahead and I did not move them even as I struck the creature down. As I walked ahead into the middle of the melee I was keenly aware of everything surrounding me. I may have blocked out the sound of the fray, but I certainly knew the sounds were there, and more importantly I could see the battle before me.

To my left, Jadeite locked his sword with one of the feral creatures who dared to belch its foulness upon his pristine armor. It always amazed me how the youngest King managed to look so _clean_ even in the most disgusting and bloody of engagements. The monster took a two-handed grip on its rusty, jagged sword and swiped down at Jadeite who parried the blow easily. It was momentarily thrown off balance from putting so much energy into the attack which was more than enough time for the impressively agile King to strike at an opening and drive his off-hand dagger into the beast's ribs. It howled in pain and tried to backhand Jadeite who countered by falling to the ground, swinging his sword at the youma's knees as he fell and severing both of its legs in one mighty sweep. It fell towards Jadeite with its arms flailing, fanatically trying to rip at the King's smug, smiling face. My fellow Shitennou responded by thrusting upward with his sword which impaled the youma's throat. He savagely twisted the blade and ripped it away, which severed creature's jugular as it died and sprayed a torrent of blood over his shining chainmail shirt and polished leather armor.

He glanced at me bathed in his new scarlet aura and said, "That's what I call first blood."

I didn't have time to reply as two more youma were upon me. Elysian soldiers had managed to push the Dark Kingdom's forces back at least a hundred yards from the city gates and they had already begun separating the mass of creatures into smaller, more manageable groups, but some of the more talented fighters in their ranks were still managing to slip behind the lines. I sized up my two opponents, one of which was wielding twin sabers, the other who seemed to be more of a brawler and carried no weapon. I reached down to my left boot to grab my curved dagger and in a split second it sailed through the air and dug itself into the shoulder of the youma with the two swords. With my first combatant distracted I reached towards the brawler with my free hand and clenched it into a claw.

I was not fond of using this type of offensive magic, but I allowed myself to delve into the brutal and dangerous entropic arts in times of strife. The creature charged towards me and I reached out with my mind to peer beyond its tattered armor and grey flesh to the foul organs and vessels within. I saw blood rushing through its body and quickly found the source: its withered, feeble black heart which pulsated furiously with the intenseness of battle. I concentrated on the muscle and felt it beating in my hand from ten yards away. I squeezed. The youma stopped in its tracks with a grunt and immediately clutched at its chest, but its red eyes never left mine. Terror gripped the demon as it clawed at itself, tore off its armor, and thumped its fists against its chest in utter futility. I felt the youma's heart tremble and shudder as it struggled to beat in my tightening magical grasp and after a moment it finally popped like a bloated water skin. The youma fell dead instantly.

All that took only a few seconds; seconds which the first youma used to remove my dagger from its shoulder and throw it back at me. I was so rapt in my magic that I saw the blade too late and reacted poorly. I swung my sword and struck the knife out of my path, but shattered the blade which infuriated me as it was one of my favorite weapons. The similarly frustrated but undaunted youma snorted at me like a bull about to charge, but instead beckoned me forward with a challenging wave of its clawed hand. I obliged the creature and attacked, swiping at it with my blade from the right which it parried with one of its two sabers. It jabbed at me with the other, but I sidestepped the blow and grabbed the creature's wrist with my free hand. I invoked my magic again and sent a jolt of paralytic energy into the beast's arm, rendering it useless as long as it was in my grasp. I still held its off-hand sword at bay with my own and we leaned into each other both attempting to break the stalemate.

The youma's strength surprised me and it shoved my sword and I away. I held fast my grip on its other arm and prepared myself to deflect another attack. However, instead of slashing at me the creature decided on a display of the Dark Kingdom's tenacity instead. It raised its sword above its head and in a powerful, arcing slice severed the arm that I held paralyzed in my grasp. The youma slid backward on its heels and left a thick trail of viscous black blood behind it. I discarded the dead appendage which was still holding the creature's other sword and kicked it away.

Now with only one sword to oppose me the youma charged and began battering away at my defense. Its oblong weapon traced deadly trails through the air as I dodged and parried its attacks. I was being pushed back towards the city walls as the youma kept up its relentless assault and I knew I was in imminent danger of being driven into a corner. The youma bent low and lunged at me again. I leapt backward, catching the rampaging demon's eyes in my own gaze. Moments before the youma was upon me I sank to a knee, scooped up a handful of powdery dry soil and flung it at the creature's face. It howled in blind agony and pawed at its eyes, attempting to cleanse them of the dirt, but it would be without sight for several moments. It was a dirty tactic and one that I would not have employed against an honorable foe, but after only a few short minutes on the field I had found no honor in and no sympathy for these creatures. As the youma struggled, I spun around behind the flailing creature and swung my sword horizontally at its exposed back attempting to slice its spine. Unfortunately I was halted by massive, bony protrusions protecting the area. My attack left a sick, gaping wound in its side as a consolation. However, when the youma regained its vision only a moment later it did not even seem to register the injury.

I remember musing briefly to myself in the midst of that battle that whatever bloodlust drove these youma was powerful indeed. The most vicious wounds and powerful magics left them only momentarily dazed or frustrated. Truly the Dark Kingdom was unlike any foe we had ever faced and against such hateful abandon I suddenly began to fear for the well-being of our campaign.

My musings were interrupted by the sword-wielding youma bearing down on me once more. It was somehow moving faster and its blows became stronger. The keening edge of its blade seemed to be attacking me from all sides at once. I had never faced a foe that could match my speed with a blade and this youma was doing a remarkable job of testing my limits which was altogether unwelcome, especially given the severity of the wounds I had so recently dealt it. A glancing blow against my left arm with the flat of its blade sent chills through my body as I came in direct contact with the hellish energies that fueled the demon. I felt as if I had breathed a sickly fume and my body suddenly felt several times heavier. The foul effect only lasted for a moment, but it was long enough to strengthen my resolve to dispatch my foe hastily and move on to my true mission of disabling the Dark Kingdom's war machines.

The monster struck at me again and I caught the blow with the back of my blade, but the youma suddenly reversed its grip and yanked hard, pulling my sword from my grip as well as sending its own to stick blade-down in the ground. Before I could react the youma lunged at me and grabbed my head with its oversized hand. It managed to hold me fast from the top of my head to my chin and I immediately felt the pressure as it tried to crush the life out of me, pulling me close to its foul visage and roaring with the most intense bloodlust I'd yet seen. I reacted in turn, grasping both of my free hands around the youma's bloodied, jagged skull. Difficult as it was to concentrate in its grip as its sickening magical aura pervaded my senses I managed to pull together the necessary magics to set the creature's skull aflame.

Orange tendrils of fire erupted from the youma's ears, nostrils, and eyes as I burned it, yet it still clung to me with all its savage power. I intensified the spell and it screamed out, belching flame from its mouth as every vein in its body glowed with the magical fire I was issuing into the creature. Finally its grip on me subsided, but I held fast to the youma and poured all of my concentration into the spell which wholly incinerated the creature leaving only wisps of ash to be carried off by the winds of war. Nodding to myself at the hard-won victory I retrieved my blade and once more dove into the battle.

As I battled, I sometimes caught glimpses of my companions on the field working towards their own goals. Though I could not always keep eyes on them, I knew Jadeite and Nephrite were near. Nephrite was a man of many ill whims. He was a known friend to fine flasks as well as being prone to snap judgments and bull headedness. In Acheron his most loathsome qualities were magnified by some power I did not understand at the time. Chief among those was a terrible bloodlust. I had feared the day would come when the Nephrite who slew innocents in cold blood that day would return. In some smaller, controlled form that Nephrite did appear again on the battlefield of Elysion. Here, however, I was marginally relieved that he had turned his ravenous desire to spill blood against our enemy. Still, even as he cut through ranks of youma to clear a path to our missing Endymion I had one eye trained on him should he confuse friend and foe as he did on that fateful voyage so long ago.

Nephrite had charged headlong into the fray wearing no armor and wielding an axe that was half as large as he was. He swung the great weapon in wide arcs before him with such ferocity that the youma were frightened to even approach. Those that did attempt to leap at him or attack his back side were viciously struck down by the King's impossibly swift reflexes. Of the score of youma he had already killed none of them required more than a single blow from his massive axe to dispatch. He roared at the top of his lungs a fierce battle cry as he pressed his way forward deeper and deeper into the ranks of the foul creatures; dangerously cutting himself off from the rest of Elysion's fighting force. Only Jadeite kept pace with his battle companion and swift as he was in dispatching the Dark Kingdom's agents even the younger King was finding it difficult to keep up.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself!" Jadeite hollered to the rampaging Nephrite as he liberated the head of a youma from its perch atop a pair of spiny shoulders.

Nephrite did not answer. When battle was joined he was a stoic creature save for the bestial howls he would sometimes loose in the midst of his wholesale slaughter. Nephrite was a brawler at heart although learned in the fine martial disciplines: tactics, swordplay, and rules of engagement. Against the Dark Kingdom's sudden engagement of Elysion there were no rules. The columns of foul youma they sent against the city were without honor; soulless killing machines bred only for destruction. I entertained the thought (terrible as it was) that some darker part of Nephrite's soul felt a kindred connection to the beasts he led freely to massacre. His mighty axe cut through their ranks as easily as if the youma were nothing more than the woven dummies in our training halls.

Jadeite spun his body in tight circles, wielding his deadly blades with accuracy and precision that was not present in his recent duel with the Senshi of Mars. Gone was the grandiose, theatric swordplay; replaced by purposed, deadly strokes which wasted no energy and never failed to find an opening to exploit. However, as skilled as Jadeite was in melee combat his true strength lay in his more unnatural abilities. As said before, Jadeite was the most skilled weaver of illusions in Elysion. His craft bent light, shadow, and matter to his will and on the battlefield the havoc he could create with little more than imagination and concentration could be staggering to the enemy.

So little has been spoken of the Shitennou and their magic that I feel it would be a disadvantage to my tale not to elucidate. The nature of our mystical powers has not been well-documented for the simple fact that none has ever been needed. From my earliest memories I can recall using such skills as conjuring fire, water and wind, but I was not taught these abilities. We were not schooled in lofty towers by ancient wizards surrounded by musty tomes. It is said that all men possess the potential for magic, but few are of such character needed to harness it. Indeed only a mere handful of scholars aside from the Heavenly Kings can practice the arcane arts and of those few, perhaps only a dozen possess the ability to craft functional spells.

Magic manipulates the elements of nature to achieve ends that could not naturally occur. Magic makes it possible for a rock to burst into flame or a tree to pull up its roots and move to more fertile ground. Science tells us that if an apple falls from a tree, no matter the height, it will inevitably strike the ground. Magic on the other hand bends what nature intends to the will of the manipulator. Instead, the apple could fall into the sky, never to come down again. While it is easiest to manipulate the primary elements; air, fire, water and rock; there also exists the ability to affect living things. Such magic is most dangerous and though its effects can be applied to heal and mend, they can also rend and destroy. Such black magic is a forbidden art, yet with all things taboo there still exist necromancers who practice their vile spells in dank caves and ancient towers delving into secret powers that derive pleasure for themselves alone.

The use of any of these skills bears such a toll on the body and mind of the practitioner that it is utterly prohibitive for practical use. This is a chief reason for the relative lack of sorcery on the Earth; the years of training and building of tolerance against the draining effects of spell-weaving is brutally difficult. Many budding sorcerers abandon their studies out of sheer exhaustion. The control of such powers can sap the body of strength leading to lethargy, rapid aging and even death in the most extreme cases. Thus, magic in the realm of Elysion is more commonly practiced in its more tangible form, that of alchemy. Alchemists of Elysion are renowned for their abilities to infuse common elements with magical properties. The careful study of action and reaction has led to the development of fantastic concoctions be it vials of salves that can repair wounds in a matter of hours to globes of black powder which explode with such force as to bring down castle walls.

And so while alchemy dominates the public view of the mystical arts the Shitennou are left as nearly the sole practitioners of a forgotten craft. It may very well be that Jadeite, as a master craftsman of magical illusions, is the last of his kind. I was distracted by my own battles as I cut my way through the Dark Kingdom's army towards my goal, but on the fringes of my perception I could sense what my fellow Shitennou was doing.

Jadeite had taken a knee in the midst of the battlefield. Youma and soldier fought around him and he was utterly defenseless, but he was well aware of his surroundings. His concentration was intense and he perceived the entirety of the battlefield in his mind's eye. It was with this great focus that his mind began to construct phantasms of such enormous dread that they would give the thralls of the Dark Kingdom pause. Vast crevices in the Elysian Fields opened beneath the feet of the youma revealing crushingly dark pits lined with fanged maws gnawing and devouring anything that fell within. Creatures of flame, shapeless and wild crashed down on the armies and melted armor to flesh. The youma beheld colossi of marble and bronze, living statues of ancient Elysian kings climbing over the walls of the great city and smashing down upon them with ancient rage. The armies of the Dark Kingdom gave ground against these assaults and though the Elysian soldiers could not perceive the phantasms, as Jadeite was careful not to blanch the courage of our own force, they knew some truly awful thing must have affected them to be driven back so.

Nephrite pressed his advantage and hewed into the maddened horde with more of the reckless abandon he'd shown during the opening moments of battle. Jadeite's mastery of illusion afforded me the precious ground I needed to cover and soon I was crouched behind one of the ten-foot wheels of the monstrous war engines the Dark Kingdom had brought to bear against the city. They were titanic engines of wood, iron, and skeins of twisted rope; catapults of a size I'd never seen. Massive counterweights groaned and swung lazily as trebuchets hurled flaming carcasses over the battlements. These weapons were simply enormous and their approach to the city walls would have been spotted from miles away. How then had Elysion been taken by complete surprise? It was a question I had no time to ponder in the heat of battle and I set about my work.

* * *

Three hunched figures crept as quietly through the dark woods as possible taking great care to muffle the sound of crunching leaves and twigs even as they moved at speed. Helios, robed in white and with no weapon but his martial skill, led Prince Endymion and Princess Serenity along a wilderness trail leading back towards the great city of Elysion. The forest ended half a league from the city walls and while small settlements and farms filled portions of the distance the most direct route to safety was across the open Elysian Fields which now thrummed and rumbled with the cacophony of battle. The trio stopped behind a boulder which was near the forest's edge where they could see the battle in full. Helios attempted to judge the distance as well as how far the Elysian soldiers had managed to push back the Dark Kingdom's assault, but the battle was confused and disorderly and no clear lines could be drawn.

"There's so many of them." Serenity whispered when she saw the sheer number of youma upon the battlefield, "Where did the Dark Kingdom raise such an army?"

"It is one of the many mysteries presented by this foe." Helios replied as he studied the battle, "Like the layers of an onion, the Dark Kingdom's secrets peel away only to reveal more beneath, and we have yet to break the skin."

"I would guarantee to break more than just skin were I to take the field." Endymion swore as tightened and relaxed his grip on his sword which had not left his hand since Helios' timely rescue.

"I would that you save your rage for their evil masters when they are brought before Elysian courts to answer for their crimes, my Prince." Helios advised the boiling Endymion, "We cannot afford to be reckless."

"Indeed." Endymion agreed, "And I would not leave the Princess' side but for my own death."

"Of course I mean to see you _both_ to safety." Helios stated though to Serenity his tone and manner betrayed an undercurrent of regret.

"You have my thanks now and always." Serenity told him hoping to better his spirits, "I don't know what would have happened if you had not been there."

"I do." Helios said and again his tone shifted mysteriously, though lost to Endymion, and Serenity felt as though the priest was speaking out of disappointment.

Their trio moved again and shuffled ever closer to the edge of the forest. They now very near the end of the tree line where logging efforts had carved a straight row of stumps. There were axes and saws left on the ground or leaning on stumps where workers had simply dropped their tools and fled when the Dark Kingdom's army first arrived. Endymion's eyes scanned a logging camp and a small grouping of thatched cottages near the forest rim and gave silent thanks that the invaders had not yet managed to slip agents behind the lines to pillage and torch the settlement. Helios was about to order the sprint when Serenity suddenly sank to her knees and screamed such an ear-piercing wail they were sure every youma in the Dark Kingdom's army would hear it.

"Princess!" Endymion shouted and clamored to her side, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"It's horrible! Don't you see them?" Serenity cried as Endymion scanned the horizon to see only youma which had not terrified her so in the past, "Please send them away! Get them away from me!"

"Serenity there's nothing here!" Endymion told her, trying to comfort her as best he could.

"Shadows! Giants! Beasts of living flames!" she stammered and her eyes shook with terror as they beheld horrors neither Endymion nor Helios could see, "I can't—I can't breathe!"

"I sense powerful magic." Helios said as he roughly grabbed and massaged Serenity's hands trying to calm her hysterics, "Some manner of phantasm. Illusions projected by one of their sorcerers?"

"No. One of ours." Endymion said and clenched his jaw, "This is Jadeite's work, I'm sure of it."

"Her screams are going to draw them to us!" Helios grumbled though as always his voice remained placid, "She is no youma, why does it affect her?"

"It doesn't seem to affect the soldiers." Endymion said as he watched the battle and Serenity twitched and shuddered in his arms, "But she is of the Moon. I doubt Jadeite took her into account when casting the spell, why would he?"

"Reckless spells like these doom armies, not save them!" Helios made his displeasure known and dragged Serenity to be face to face with him, forcing her to stare into his deep golden eyes. "You must not fear these things. They are shadows and phantoms, nothing more."

"I can h-hear them!" Serenity quivered under Helios' intense gaze, "Such horrible blasphemies! I can see them everywhere!"

"Her will is too weak!" Helios said almost disgustedly, "I cannot even get through to her."

Endymion moved in front of Helios and placed his right hand on the side of Serenity's head and brushed her forehead with his other. The Prince closed his eyes and though the sounds and screams of battle hovered nearby he quieted his mind, reaching out with ethereal arms to embrace Serenity's struggling spirit. He opened his eyes and softly called Serenity's name and suddenly the Princess was calmer. She focused on the Prince through red, tearing eyes and gasped.

"Stay with me Serenity." Endymion spoke gently and Helios moved away, "Listen to my voice and don't look at anything but me."

"Endymion." She called softly, "I- I'm sorry…"

"None of that." The Prince assured her with a warm smile, "Helios, let's get out of here."

The Prince pulled the Princess to her feet and turned to find Helios staring down five youma which were marching towards the forest from the fringes of the battle. They did not yet see the trio hiding in the woods, but over the din of the fighting the Prince heard them conversing about hearing screams in the forest. Serenity, still badly shaken and barely maintaining the will to concentrate scolded herself for taking such a fright and betraying their chance for an unseen escape.

"This will be a bloody engagement." Helios stated regretfully, "My Prince, as soon as the opportunity is presented, take it. You must reach the safety of the city."

"We will take them together, Helios, and you will come to the city with us!" The Prince demanded, "I will hear nothing of 'opportunity.'"

"My life means nothing compared to yours, _King_ Endymion." Helios said dropping the common honorific title of Prince that everyone in Elysion used to refer to Endymion, "If it is to be one life traded for another, then it is my life that will be offered up."

Endymion shook his head and stood resolute: "I would lay down my life for the poorest peasant of this kingdom and not think of it twice. For you my friend, for what you have done for me in all my years, I would die a thousand times over and a thousand again."

Helios opened his mouth to argue, but could not find the words. Endymion smiled at the enigmatic priest and bade Serenity to remain hidden and escape to the city when she could. The youma moved closer and the two men readied themselves for battle. Endymion's mind raced with thoughts ranging from the cost of rebuilding efforts, the care of the injured, burials for the fallen, counterattacks, raids, and all the accumulated memories of his life. His regal reflection flashed in the blade of his sword and seeing his wounded, but firm face staring back at him full of determination and resolve he felt for the first time in his life that hearing Helios address him as King no longer felt undeserved. The youma were close enough to hear the metal of their armor clinking and clanking and Endymion made ready to vault over the boulder and take the band by surprise.

Suddenly the ground shook and a massive explosion rumbled across the battlefield. In the reflection of the sword Endymion saw a great black plume rising into the sky and tinged with fireballs of bright orange. Helios peeked over the rock and was nearly blinded by the second explosion which blossomed up from the rear of the army. One of the massive siege engines of the Dark Kingdom's army had been utterly destroyed leaving only smoldering remains and a thick cloud where it once stood. The ensuing chaos from the blast was sufficient to call the five youma's attention and they quickly sprinted back towards the main battle. Helios let out a sigh of relief and wasted no more time. Endymion helped Serenity to her feet and the trio rushed out of the forest towards the walls of the city with Helios placing himself between the Prince and the battle. To their great relief only a few of the youma noticed their escape from the woods and fired arrows towards them, but none of the shots landed close. Within moments they were behind the lines of the Elysian soldiers.

It was perhaps not the best way to rejoin the defense of the city and many of the soldiers questioned why Endymion and Serenity, looking equally wounded and haggard, were being escorted by Helios who was renowned as a reclusive hermit by the general population. Endymion ignored the murmurs in the ranks of soldiers who were still garrisoned within the walls and they hurried to the inner courtyard where they found Kunzite, bedecked in armor, issuing orders to lieutenants and directing the efforts of those putting out fires in the city.

"Endymion!" Kunzite cried upon seeing the Prince and clasped him by the shoulders, "Whole and safe, thank all that's holy. Where are Nephrite and Jadeite?"

"We've not seen them." Endymion replied and Kunzite's face fell, "We were rescued from the depths of the forest by Helios."

The Prince turned to present their hero to Kunzite, but the priest was nowhere to be seen. Endymion called for him, but Helios was simply gone. Though they were safely within the city Endymion felt a chill run down his spine that warned him of an unseen peril and he remembered Helios' words in the forest. They had survived one trial, but the worst was yet to come.

* * *

When I finally managed to carve my way to my destination no steel shone on my blade. The whole sword was stained with the brackish blood of the youma. There were perhaps a dozen siege engines in a staggered rank manned by crews of six or more youma on the battlefield. The creatures that were lucky enough not to notice my approach were felled with quick slashes of the throat. The others who insisted on resisting my advance met with less favorable ends. The fervor of battle was now flowing freely through me, enticing me with the thrill of victory and releasing every cell of energy my body had to give. At the first catapult I merely had to slice through the skeins of rope that powered the great throwing-arms and the machine buckled under the stress and collapsed in on itself. Similarly I dispatched the other catapults, slicing through the skeins that powered the torsion devices and setting fire to the useless husks. The trebuchets would prove a more challenging task as they were stronger, sturdier, and much more difficult to disable. Unlike the catapults which were smaller and cheaper to build the great trebuchets were titanic. Forty feet tall they stood and were clad all in iron to protect the wooden frames beneath.

There were five trebuchets on the field but judging by the sheer size of the engines I calculated I had only enough alchemical fire (the black powder charges I spoke of earlier) to dispatch perhaps two of them. I worked quickly, cutting my way towards the first machine. The Dark Kingdom's lines had been pushed back so far that occasionally I would catch a glimpse of an Elysian soldier fighting mere yards away. I reached the first engine and placed several glass vials of powder near the base of the A-frame that held the great throwing arm aloft. Youma came at me from all sides as I worked, but they fell to my blade in short order. With the last vial placed I twisted together a crude fuse and invoked the spell to ignite it when suddenly my vision crossed and I fell to the ground. A tremendous pain in the back of my head welled up, but stunned as I was I managed to roll out of the way of the massive youma that was bearing down on me and the huge club that had struck me before instead pounded into the earth.

I staggered to my feet and shook the haze out of my eyes, but not the pain. The youma I faced was a behemoth with gray skin, a prodigious girth and dual leather straps crossing its broad chest and digging into its foul flesh. The creature's tusked maw was framed by a thick helmet and its giant hands were calloused with many rope-burns and cracks. I assumed the creature was the Dark Kingdom's siege-master and it swung its massive club at me again. I felt the wind whistle past my face as the heinous weapon came within mere inches of ending my life, but I was still faster. Unfortunately as the wicked thing pressed on me I could do little more than dodge. Thankfully it had not seemed to notice my carefully-placed devices and was more interested in slaughtering me than with what I was doing near its machine.

I swung several times at openings in the youma's great bulk, but despite its size it was extremely agile and I was blocked at every turn. It was my own fault then when I decided to make a grandiose attempt at a killing stroke that the youma blocked me and made a furious riposte. It thrust its huge club at me and the heavy wood smashed into my left shoulder. I felt the painful dislocation and the crack of a bone breaking before the strike even landed. I stumbled backwards and tripped over the ironclad beams that made up the base of the trebuchet and could barely find the strength to stand again. The youma was already on me and I ducked another furious blow. The left side of my body was numb from shock as far down as my thigh and moving was a challenge. The only choice I had was to duck into the crisscrossing trestle supports of the trebuchet where the huge youma could not follow. There was perhaps three feet of clearance within the engine to allow space for the trough where mighty boulders and more repugnant projectiles were loaded into the trebuchet's sling. The siege-master attempted to strike at me through the web of wood and iron, but the area was simply too small to generate a powerful swing and I was still agile enough to stay out of its reach.

The Elysian soldiers were still pushing the Dark Kingdom back and I thought for a moment that if I could stave off my opponent long enough I could slip away when the army overtook my position. Unfortunately the siege-master seemed to sense the same possibility and redoubled its efforts to destroy me. It grabbed a pike from a nearby youma which was slim with a deadly spiked head and he began thrusting through the supports at me. I would not have lasted long against that tactic and decided it best to attempt a retreat. I rolled on my side and crawled out of the trough only to be met by another youma impeding my progress. I struck it down with a well-placed stab of my sword, but the siege-master used that brief delay to finally rob me of all advantage. As I turned I saw the great beast standing in the trough with the barbed pike raised high above his head. I do not know what providence was granted me on that day, but I will never forget the moment when I realized my salvation: the trebuchet had been sitting cocked and ready to fire.

I had not noticed it before, but the great machine was primed only awaiting a missile to load. The gargantuan youma had one foot set in the trough where the sling lay empty. I had mere seconds to react as the great beast thrust his spear at my prone body. I summoned all the strength I had left and pushed myself off the ground with my good arm just as the blade of the spear sliced past me. I dove under the siege-master's bowed legs and grabbed the free end of the trebuchet's sling, pulling it tight around the thick ankle of the youma as I fell over the other side. The monster turned, rage and terror in its eyes as it realized the weakness I had exploited. I smiled a visceral, lusty smile in spite of myself and kicked the iron trigger loose. The great engine groaned and the sling pulled taut, broke the siege-master's leg and pulled him along with the huge throwing-arm. The youma was launched into the air and flew far. Where it landed I never knew, but it was dead long before the end of its flight.

Though broken and exhausted I still had a mission to complete. The trebuchet creaked and yawed after firing, but the vials of black powder I had set managed to hold in place. I invoked a spark with what remaining magic I could muster and the fuse ignited. It would produce a two-stage explosion to ensure the weapon was totally destroyed. I ran as fast as I could, but in my fatigue I was aware that I would not make it far. I almost didn't hear the first explosion as the ringing in my ears that followed it was immediate. I felt the air around me contract as though it was sucked into a vacuum and then the tremendous pressure of the shock wave as it knocked me to the ground. Rock, wood, and fiery debris pelted me where I lay face-down in the muddy field. The second explosion rocked the ground with such force that I feared I would have broken ribs join my broken arm. My hearing did not return for minutes after the blast, but I pulled myself up to survey the area and saw a great column of smoke rising into the air. A burning crater now occupied the space where the trebuchet once stood and a ring of dead youma five ranks deep surrounded it.

I was badly beaten and practically useless as far as combat was concerned, but still I remember thinking I had enough alchemist's fire on me to destroy another trebuchet. I started towards another one of the huge engines when suddenly the breath was stolen from my body. The youma were retreating at full speed and the Elysian army had halted its advance. The air was cold and charged all around me and I felt utterly frozen. I was pinned in place, unable to move and unable to breathe. Still I was able to behold a sight that brings me dread to this day.

The ranks of youma retreated swiftly but as they did a solitary figure strode through the columnss to the middle of the battlefield and faced down the Elysian soldiers. I felt a terrible crackle of magical energy rush over me. Jadeite's illusions which had pervaded the battlefield were dissipated and soldiers cried out against this new psychic onslaught. I watched in horror as the retreating youma regrouped on a far hill, reformed their ranks and waited. A second organized assault seemed inevitable, but the immediate danger was that of this new creature that had so boldly taken the field against the combined forces of the Golden Kingdom.

The creature was a youma of sorts, though of decidedly more human proportions. It appeared female and wore a purple gown that clutched its figure like a second skin. She had pale skin on her exposed arms and glowing red eyes were the only features of a face that was otherwise blank; no mouth, no nose, only those terrible eyes. Her head was framed by slate-black hair and upon her forehead was a crown like a golden crescent. Hateful magic seeped from her like blood pouring from an open wound. Out of the ground in front of her sprung a geyser of water which formed into a column a hundred feet tall and swirled about her. The power that I felt from that heinous creature was of staggering proportions and I struggled to maintain focus in its presence.

"I will not suffer this rabble." This is what she spoke in a fell voice and stretched out her hand towards the Elysian army.

At her gesture the swirling column of water formed itself into a crushing tidal wave and raced towards the Elysian army. Soldiers broke rank in sight of the torrent and tried to flee, but the wall of water crashed down on them with all the force of the mighty oceans and cut a path through the center of the defenders of Elysion to the very gates of the city. Whole divisions of soldiers were killed by the crushing wave and their bodies washed away as a clear path now led to the gates of the Golden Kingdom. The arch-youma smiled. She had no lips with which to do so, but I could tell nonetheless that she was pleased.

Then she called out in a loud voice: "I am Thetis, Arch-Youma of the Dark Kingdom! My Queen has endured your pathetic defense long enough!" Great columns of water now sprouted from the ground all around Thetis and she continued: "Your lives and land are forfeit! Let your city be crushed and washed away by the tides of fate so that the Dark Kingdom may rule _ALL!_"

I watched as the columns of water, too numerous to count, formed into giant waves and raced across the battlefield to where the soldiers and city stood defenseless. I thought of Jadeite, Nephrite and Kunzite and of my Master who trusted us to keep such a tragedy from every happening. I watched as this hellish creature unleashed her fury to murder my brethren and destroy my kingdom.

I was utterly powerless to stop it …


	15. Chapter 12, The Dark Kingdom Unleashed

**TWELVE**

**The Dark Kingdom Unleashed**

I stood upon the edge of a massacre. The Dark Kingdom had unleashed its full might against us in the form of Thetis, a youma of terrible power. She commanded the water with her foul magic and with it built a great wave as wide as the Elysian Fields and as tall as the mountains that framed it. In one blow the mighty torrent would wipe away the armies, the citizens, and the capital of the Golden Kingdom. There were no words to express my dread during those moments when the very end of the world seemed at hand and there were even fewer words than that to express my relief when the catastrophe was averted.

In one moment there was nothing but war-ravaged field between the tidal wave and its prey and then in the next moment there was a wall of solid rock, so tall that it touched the sky, which smote the wave in its tracks. The ground shook akin to an earthquake as the earth heaved itself skyward to protect the Golden Kingdom and its host from the youma's spell. My mind was overcome at the sight. The Shitennou and their magic were capable of many great deeds, but never before on Earth had powers such as these clashed.

When I finally regained my focus I concentrated on the source of this new power and my eyes fell upon a female warrior, one of the great _senshi _of legend. She was tall with short-cropped blonde hair and of grim complexion. The heraldry of her uniform, the designs of which were recorded in the past and well-known to those who must know such things, identified her as the senshi of Uranus. I recognized her as the same warrior who wounded Nephrite's pride many years ago, if you remember that part of my tale. Her demeanor was unmistakable and I knew at once that this senshi was Haruka, the Princess of Uranus. She stood with her arm outstretched towards the bulwark of earth she had created until the waters settled and seeped back into the ground they were conjured from. She relaxed and the wall that saved Elysion retreated and it felt as though it shook world as it did. The land would be scarred for many years, but it was of no consequence considering the alternative.

"Ah, so I see the desperate lords of Elysion have enlisted Serenity's watchdogs to aid in their futile struggle." Thetis balked at her new opponent, "Your power is great, senshi, but I wield magics that are beyond human reckoning. You cannot hope to stand against me."

"I do not engage you for Elysion." The ever-belligerent Sailor Uranus declared, "Your kind is a threat to the Silver Millennium and must be destroyed, it matters not the battlefield."

"Fool senshi!" Thetis roared as a column of swirling water was summoned at her side, "I've endured your insolence for long enough! You are but one lone soldier where I embody the whole of the Dark Kingdom's glory! Now…_DIE!_"

Thetis released her attack and the column of water fashioned into a deadly spike which streaked toward the exposed senshi of Uranus. It would have struck her dead, but another power intervened. The air grew bitterly cold and a foggy mist covered the battlefield. The chill of the air was such that Thetis' water spout was frozen in the sky. It fell to the ground and shattered harmlessly leaving the arch-youma once again thwarted and thoroughly frustrated.

From out of the frigid mist stepped a second senshi, this one of Mercury who wielded the powers of water and ice as well. I recognized her as Ami, the Princess of Mercury with whom I had shared kind words after my Master's feast only a day past. Only earlier in the day had Jadeite and I discovered the senshi of Mars in our midst and now two more of the Princesses were revealed as senshi as well. The pattern was laid before me, but it was still to my shock when rest of the senshi took to the field from out of the mist and I recognized them all. I knew the senshi wore powerful spells which concealed their true faces to the common folk, but for some inexplicable reason those illusions were not effective against my sight.

There now stood by Sailors Uranus and Mercury their remaining comrades: Rei, who was previously known to us as Sailor Mars; Makoto, the senshi of Jupiter; Michiru, the senshi of Neptune; finally the one with whom I was most familiar, Minako, the senshi of Venus who came to the front of their column and established herself as their leader. I was unsurprised by the revelation of her position, but I did note the absence of the senshi of both Pluto and Saturn. I assumed the enigmatic Setsuna and the child-Princess Hotaru had good cause not to join their fellow warriors, if they were in fact the respective senshi of their planets, which I took for granted. Their absence puzzled me greatly, but I had no time to ponder it.

"You will go no further." Sailor Venus declared and the power that carried on her voice surprised me, "The Dark Kingdom has no claim here. You will leave this place and trouble this land no more. Withdraw your forces and disband your armies!

"Withdraw? Disband?" Thetis hollered and cackled a menacing laugh, "You presume to order me thus? I will not heed the words of the senshi, no matter how many of your kin are called to aid this peasant kingdom!"

"Our business in Elysion is to strive for peace between our peoples!" Venus answered the arch-youma, "The Dark Kingdom opposes this peace and seeks to suppress the rights and virtues all free folk enjoy under the protection of the Silver Millennium. I will tell you again: withdraw from here and disband at once!"

Thetis' reply was a sphere of the blackest magics which she summoned to her hand and then threw down at the feet of Sailor Venus. The senshi stepped back and the projectile crackled with power, exploding in a great flash of arcing bolts. Elysian soldiers standing nearby were paralyzed and burned by the foul spell. Those that could not escape had the energy of their bodies siphoned away and channeled back to the arch-youma who only grew stronger with each man that fell. The senshi reacted in turn and called upon elemental powers that had not been wielded in times of battle for many ages.

A great golden beam shone from hands of Sailor Venus while Sailor Jupiter seemed to wrangle crackling bolts of lightning all around her body. Fire and ice flew freely from the hands of Sailors Mars and Mercury while the senshi of Uranus and Neptune channeled their raw power into projectiles of great speed and strength. The magics converged on Thetis who had not moved from her defiant position and huge explosions engulfed her, but when the smoke cleared the arch-youma was found to be unharmed and the stand-off renewed, each side offering the other more powerful spells and attacks which lit up the sky and sundered the earth.

Great gale winds now began to batter the field from the release of energy. So great was their strength that the remaining engines of war still on the field were toppled and shattered. I was exposed in the midst of the battle and could do little to shield myself. It was only when I felt two sets of hands on my shoulders that I managed to steady myself.

"Jadeite!" I gasped, "Nephrite!"

"We have to get back to the city before we're swept away!" Jadeite shouted over the din of the pounding air.

I nodded and the three of us quickly made our way across the battlefield and behind the lines of soldiers that still stood guard outside the walls of the city. Kunzite was howling orders over the screech of the gale and standing nearby I saw Endymion. Princess Serenity was with him, wrapped in the Prince's velvet cape and squinting against the wind. I rushed to my Master's side upon seeing him, forgetting the pain of my shattered arm and even forgetting the battle itself in my relief to see him unharmed.

"Master!" I shouted in greeting, "I had feared for your safety. It is good to see you well!"

"I feared for you as well, my friend!" Endymion answered me as he clasped my shoulder, "But we've no time to speak kindnesses!"

"No, indeed!" Kunzite interjected as he strode almost between us, "Strength of arms means nothing against a power like this. My men are wasted here and with every attack Thetis pushes the senshi closer to the city walls!"

A quick assessment of the battlefield confirmed Kunzite's words. The arch-youma battered away at the senshi's defenses time and again, pressing ever onward toward the gates of the Golden Kingdom. In time they would reach the walls and their continued release of magical energy would wreak havoc on the city. The senshi were not losing the battle, so to speak, but they also could not contain Thetis' advance. Even if the senshi were backed into a corner I doubt that they would have succumbed to the arch-youma's attacks, but they simply could not keep her from moving forward.

"How can it be that nearly all the senshi of our system are here at once?" Nephrite asked, equal parts apprehensive as agitated.

"The senshi and the Princesses are one in the same." I answered and suddenly all eyes were on me, "This morning Jadeite and I discovered Princess Rei was the senshi of Mars. The attack came before I could inform anyone else."

"I don't recognize these soldiers as the Princesses." Kunzite refuted me, "How is it that you can?"

"Not just Zoisite, I can as well." Jadeite interjected, "I believe it is because we both witnessed Sailor Mars' transformation. We seem to be attuned to whatever illusory magics shield their true faces."

"Whatever the reason this revelation changes everything." Kunzite mused, "If the senshi can travel freely and undetected they pose a grave risk."

"A risk?" Princess Serenity gasped from where she stood previously silent as the grave, "The senshi are protecting this land against a threat none of you could surmount and you call them a risk? They are saving your Golden Kingdom!"

"That remains to be seen." Kunzite answered sternly, "Why now did they choose to take the field? The senshi could have easily decimated the Dark Kingdom's army and spared the lives of scores of Elysian soldiers!"

"Kunzite, this isn't the time or place." Endymion ordered and stepped between Serenity and the Shitennou, "This battle may yet claim Elysion unless we find some way to act!"

"We should send our army down the flanks and engage the Dark Kingdom before they charge us gain." Nephrite strategized, "The senshi will hold the attention of the arch-youma while we rout their main force, then we can gather our full strength on Thetis afterwards."

Kunzite shook his head and answered: "The soldiers would be too exposed on the field. One stray arc of that creature's black lightning would spell doom for our campaign and we have no guarantee Thetis would not simply shift her attention and wipe out our army with a single blow."

"Jadeite, can you conjure some sort of diversion?" Endymion asked the youngest King, "Something to occupy the army of the Dark Kingdom long enough to maneuver our forces on safer paths?"

"No, the arch-youma's power is too great." Jadeite answered with a disappointed and defeated sneer, "She dispersed my illusions with her first attack. Nothing I could conjure would hold."

"Hold." I mused aloud and found myself shouting, "Hold! We could hold them!"

"What do you mean?" Kunzite ordered, entrenched in his military demeanor.

"The four of us can surround the battle and cast our magics to contain the melee." I explained quickly, "We can create a barrier around Thetis and the senshi to hold them in place. Thetis would have no choice but to halt her advance!"

"Possible." Kunzite thought as he rubbed his brow, "But it will take considerable effort and Zoisite, you are barely fit to be standing let alone channeling such power."

"I'll be fine." I assured my elder companion.

"If we're to attempt this we have to make haste." Jadeite suggested, "Every moment we spend behind the walls brings Thetis one step closer to them."

"No, I can't allow this! You'll be completely exposed!" Endymion interrupted us with a worried cry, "There must be some other way!"

"We cannot allow them to reach the city!" Kunzite declared over the hurricane winds and mystical explosions beyond, "Master, we cannot deliberate! Zoisite's plan may be our _only _chance to save Elysion!"

Endymion teetered on the edge of argument for a moment before finally acknowledging the wisdom of Kunzite's words. Our Master nodded and stepped away as Kunzite wordlessly expressed his thanks with a grim smile. The thought did not occur to me that the Shitennou may not have survived that battle. At the time my only concern was the protection of the Kingdom and the man we were sworn to defend. In fact the danger of our predicament was only a secondary concern, an annoyance at best. There was little we could do to ready ourselves, but I did manage to fashion a crude sling for my ruined arm out of a bit of discarded cloth. Outside the gates the armies of Elysion stood awaiting orders as a magical storm raged in front of them. The magics of youma and senshi continued to clash and the female warriors appeared as little more than blurs of color against the swirling black clouds of Thetis' foul spells.

"Well. Here we are again." Jadeite noted with wry humor as we stood outside the gates, "Preparing to rush headlong into battle and death one more time."

"The death of this arch-youma, you mean?" Nephrite asked as he leaned casually on his tall axe.

"Either her or us!" Jadeite laughed, "One way or another this battle has to end!"

"And if today is the day we lay down our lives after all our long years," I spoke to my fellow Shitennou, my kin, "I can think of no greater honor than being among my brothers when I take my last breath."

"Hear, hear!" Jadeite answered with a smile, one of those genuine smiles that only he could manage even the deepest throes of dread. Nephrite nodded his agreement as well.

"And later tonight when the battle is won and we take our ale together we can look back on this talk and laugh at our folly." Kunzite added capping our conversation with a hopeful tone, "Now come my fellow Kings, today we fight together!"

Kunzite joined Jadeite as he whooped and hollered, Nephrite roared his bestial battle-cry and I found myself shouting in fervor at Kunzite's words. The ranks of soldiers before us, hearing us declare our determination and resolve, sent up their chorus of cheers and clanged their swords and spears against their shields. We drew our weapons and rushed out onto the field towards the great magical torrent which raged at the heart of the Elysian Fields. The emerald green grass was singed beyond reckoning and the muddy ground was stained with the blood of fallen soldiers and youma. Jadeite and I ran to the left of where the senshi stood their ground against the rampaging arch-youma while Kunzite and Nephrite drew right.

We stood at equal distances from each other forming a crude perimeter around the battle. This type of magical barrier was a simple spell in itself, but magnified with the combined power of the Shitennou it would become a nigh-impassible bulwark of psychic force. I cleared my mind and suppressed the pain of my wounds under years of discipline and readied the necessary verses to cast the spell. My eyes took in the field which flashed with unrivaled power as the senshi battered away against the onslaught of Thetis. The arch-youma was not so single-minded that she could not detect us and several bolts of stray arcing energy struck the ground at our feet only inches away from inflicting searing wounds at any moment, but we were still able to evade her.

Kunzite gathered himself and nodded to me from across the field to begin the process. I relayed the command to my fellow Shitennou and we cast our magic to create the barrier. The air crackled with power as wispy clouds of pure energy seeped from our fingertips. The power coalesced into a ring and a dome of magical energy built itself around the battle. The arch-youma howled against the intrusion and flung a bolt of hateful black magic into the barrier. I felt the reverberations of the stinging attack throb across my senses, but the Shitennou held fast and the barrier was maintained. Thetis roared in frustration and, in the course of deflecting the powerful assault of the senshi, attempted to break through the magical dome, but to no avail.

"How long can we hold this?" Jadeite screamed over the din of battle and the ceaseless magical winds which buffeted us.

"As long as we can!" Kunzite answered back.

I could see through the haze of the distorted barrier that Thetis was enraged. Her attacks against the senshi were become erratic and unfocused. In turn the Princess-soldiers were focusing on coordinated counter-attacks. The arch-youma's power felt as though it was beginning to wane and for a time I hoped that our distraction would be enough for the senshi to overcome their foe, but it soon became clear to me that even the reserves of the powerful Sailor Senshi had limits and after many long minutes of fighting they too began to tire. Suddenly my attention was called away as a twisted black arrow struck the magical barrier from behind me followed by several others. With my concentration focused on maintaining the spell I could barely sense the arrows as they rained down on us.

"The Dark Kingdom's archers!" Nephrite shouted.

"Took them long enough!" Jadeite added with an ironic chuckle.

I shifted my weight as I continued pouring power into the spell and just in time as an arrow struck the ground just inches from where my foot was dug into the dirt. I glanced over my shoulder to see more of the barbed projectiles landing in groups all around us. Thankfully I also heard the trumpet-call of the Elysian army sounding a charge to protect us. I knew instinctively that Master Endymion had ordered them forward. With our magical barrier containing Thetis and the senshi there was now no danger to our soldiers charging the remnants of the Dark Kingdom's armies. My hope was renewed even as arrows continued to pelt the magical dome and the land around me. Our soldiers would be able to break the Dark Kingdom's lines and drive them off and then we could redouble our efforts against Thetis. The cost would be great, but in the end we would triumph. It was all but assured.

Suddenly my concentration was broken and the spell faltered in my hands. Searing pain shot through my body as an arrow struck and buried itself in the back of my left calf. I briefly heard the other Shitennou call my name, but the deafening sound of failing magic overpowered their voices. I poured every ounce of will I possessed into ignoring the pain and maintaining the barrier, but I could no longer support myself and I dropped to my knees and with me fell the magical dome. Thetis seized the opportunity and gathered a massive amount of magical power at her fingertips which she slammed into the ground. The resulting explosion produced a shockwave which knocked the remaining Shitennou, senshi, and the nearby soldiers to the ground. The arch-youma then waved her hands in wide arcs and I felt a heavy magical pressure pinning me to the ground. I saw Kunzite from the corner of my eye struggle against it, but even he with all his might could only manage to crawl on all fours under the crushing weight of Thetis' spell.

"Perfect." Thetis spoke very pleased with her attack, "Prostrate and humble at last."

"I will never prostrate myself to you, demon!" Sailor Jupiter cried from where she knelt and with a great cry and surge of strength she launched herself towards Thetis, breaking the binding spell.

However the arch-youma deflected Jupiter and grabbed her with one hand by the throat. The senshi kicked and struggled against the youma's grasp, but Thetis' power would not wane. She squeezed and her nails split the flesh of Sailor Jupiter's neck and she cried out against the pain. Thetis moved to snap the senshi's neck when I heard a familiar battle-cry. Some frenzy had overcome Nephrite and my companion was on his feet though the effects of Thetis' suppressing spell were still upon him. It was sheer strength and force of will that enabled such a feat and Nephrite's eyes pulsed with rage as he lifted his mighty axe far behind his head and threw it end-over-end towards the arch-youma. Thetis growled and flung the unconscious body of Sailor Jupiter to the ground. She summoned up her strength and lashed out her flared palm against the twirling axe. Flesh met steel with awful force, but the empowered arch-youma once again displayed her might and the double-headed blade of the axe shattered like glass, settling harmlessly in pieces at Thetis' feet. A bewildered Nephrite dropped to his knees again and collapsed prone on the battlefield.

"The tenacity of men knows no limits." Thetis remarked as she regarded a seeping wound on her hand from deflecting Nephrite's axe, "And for it I shall deliver you to your doom."

The arch-youma prepared to cast another attack when I heard a voice cry, "Enough!"

To my utter shock and horror I could see from my position on the ground that my Master Endymion had now taken the field against Thetis. His sword was in his hand and he still wore no armor save for a shirt of mail rings which had been hastily draped over his clothing. I was overwhelmed with remorse and grief knowing that my Master was intending to stand alone against this horrible creature for our sakes. How I wished our places could have been exchanged in that moment.

"Ahh." Thetis sighed with putrid delight, "Endymion at last."

"Your Dark Kingdom has troubled Elysion for long enough." My master spoke with confidently contained fury, "If you stand as the spokesman of your armies, then so do I stand as that of mine."

"You wish to treat with me, Earth Prince?" Thetis chuckled with arrogance pouring out of her words, "I will accept no less than surrender and total submission."

"I will not treat with you or any other of your ilk, youma." Endymion rebuked the creature, "And my people would not submit to your barbaric rule even if it was of my own ordering."

"If you will not submit then you will fall." Thetis replied and cast a torrent of spiraling water at Endymion from out of thin air.

I cried out at the sight but was still helpless to aid my Master. Kunzite struggled against the spell which bound us to the earth, but we could not break free of Thetis' foul magic. The cascade struck Endymion squarely, but he had brought his blade up to defend against the attack and the magical water spout was deflected away. Thetis took a step back and attempted to conjure a second torrent, but found that the water would no longer obey her magical summons.

"The tides of Elysion have ebbed at my command." Endymion said as he tapped his sword upon the ground, "They will not obey you again as long as I am the steward of this earth."

"Then I will remove you from your position." Thetis scowled and drew a long thin saber from a scabbard that was tied around her back, "Endymion, Prince of this Golden Kingdom, since you refuse to submit to the Dark Kingdom then you shall be destroyed!"

The arch-youma charged and swung a long arcing slice down at Endymion who blocked with his sword and parried the blow away. Thetis' speed with a blade was astonishing, even more so considering the sheer power necessary to maintain the spell which pinned us to the ground even as she did battle with Endymion. The Prince dodged blow after blow and attempted to break through Thetis' expert swordsmanship, but the arch-youma and my Master seemed matched in swordplay. The ring of blade on blade was replaced by the deafening magi cal winds which began to blow fiercely once more.

"Zoisite!" I heard Kunzite call over the gale, "Concentrate Zoisite! We need to do _something!_"

"What can we do against this?" I cried back, very much on the verge of giving in to despair.

"I don't care what we do, but we need to do it fast!" Jadeite shouted, "Master Endymion is putting his life on the line for us!"

"We can channel our energy to him!" Kunzite decided, "We can lend our strength to Endymion!"

Nephrite had not moved since the exertion of hurling his axe at Thetis, but from where I lay I could see him struggling to bring his hand to the level of his eyes to shield himself from the hammering winds. If the four of us could pool whatever energy we had left to give, I thought it might give Endymion the edge he needed to defeat Thetis. I nodded my agreement and with great effort reached out my free hand towards where my Master battled with the arch-youma. Jadeite, Nephrite and Kunzite all did the same and we cast out our magic again. Power seeped from my fingers and I felt my body grow heavier as a profound lethargy began to overtake me. The power of the Shitennou raced across the battlefield and invigorated Endymion who began to attack with such ferocity that Thetis was momentarily dazed by his fervor. The arch-youma was put on the defensive and Endymion began to press his attack, battering away at the youma. Those soldiers that were held fast to the ground began to cheer, but the Shitennou could little afford vocal encouragement.

Nephrite was the first to fall having sapped the majority of his strength in his defiant attack. His body failed him and he collapsed motionless on the ground again. I felt myself beginning to falter, but despite my grave wounds I held on even after Jadeite succumbed to exhaustion. My vision began to waver as I poured out all the strength I had left to give. Darkness crept into my sight, but I lingered on the borders of consciousness. Kunzite was bellowing up at the gray sky as he channeled his strength to our Master, but powerful as the eldest Shitennou was even he had limits. He faltered after pouring out his strength for twice as long as the rest of us could and he slumped forward with a fatigued groan, his body utterly spent. And still the battle between Thetis and Endymion raged on.

The two combatants were now breathing heavily and pacing in wide circles around each other, taking the other's measure and planning their next attacks to carefully conserve energy. The lashed out with their blades, neither finding an opening to exploit and circled again. Endymion was not simply stalling for time for my Master was as excellent a tactician as any army could hope to have leading it. Sailor Jupiter still lay limp on the ground near where their duel was taking place and Endymion was inching ever closer to her. The senshi was bruised and battered, but still aware of the battle. Prince and youma struck out at each other again to have their blows parried away and they both stepped back and circled. However, Thetis stepped to close to where Sailor Jupiter lay and the senshi's hand shot up like a sprung trap and clasped the arch-youma's ankle. Then with a great cry Sailor Jupiter released a powerful jolt of lightning into Thetis' body and the youma howled out in pain and paralysis. Endymion wasted no time and knocked Thetis' sword from her hand in one mighty blow and leveled his blade at her throat. Sailor Jupiter ceased her electrical barrage and swooned from the exertion, rolling onto her side with a moan and slipping out of consciousness again.

"Yeild, arch-youma!" Endymion ordered as the oppressive spell that had us pinned finally released.

Immediately the senshi were on their feet and formed a line behind Thetis. Sailor Mercury knelt near Sailor Jupiter while the rest readied themselves for battle again. I weakly stumbled to my feet and shuffled towards Endymion where I was joined by Kunzite and Jadeite who was supporting the exhausted body of Nephrite over his shoulder. The soldiers of Elysion who had been trapped along with us formed a ring around our group with their weapons draw and awaited orders. Endymion pressed his blade against Thetis' neck and ordered her surrender a second time.

To our surprise the arch-youma looked up at my Master, her red eyes glowing with hateful power, and laughed. Her laugh was sickening and drenched with evil. The arch-youma's crescent crown began to glow and her whole body radiated suffocating black clouds of evil power. Endymion wasted no more time and struck with his sword, decapitating the foul creature in one stroke. The arch youma's body slumped to the ground, but continued seeping its foul magic. Thetis' head rolled back and the youma's terrible laugh went on uninterrupted. Powerful bolts of black magic began to strike down from the sky and the earth rumbled where each one struck.

"You fools have fought a losing battle!" Thetis' disembodied voice spoke in a gleeful tone, "To strike me down is only to release in full the power I wield!"

"She's going to destroy everything!" Sailor Venus shouted, "We have to try to contain this energy!"

"Contain?" Thetis howled as explosions rippled through the ground beneath us, "I cannot be contained! The Dark Kingdom cannot be contained! With my last act I bring ruin upon you all!"

The arch-youma's laugh erupted in a chilling wail and a storm of darkness overtook the land. Man and youma cried out as they were struck down by the awesome release of power. The walls of Elysion buckled against the pounding magical onslaught and great fissures opened in the earth to swallow the remnants of the Elysian army. The senshi cast their powers to contain the wild release of energy, but it was all for naught. Endymion stumbled and ordered us to run, but the earth heaved and would not permit us to move. The gates of Elysion were smashed into kindling and watch-towers that lined the walls began to crumble. Our plight seemed utterly hopeless in that moment as the death-throes of Thetis were bound to consume us all anyway.

"No!" I heard the defiant scream of my Master. In the midst of the destruction he had found solid footing. He tore off the mail shirt and sprawled out his arms at his sides to be battered by the magical maelstrom, "Take me!"

"Master!" I cried in a hoarse whisper.

"You came for _me_, demon!" Endymion cried out and raised his arms higher, "Here I am!"

"Master, get down!" Kunzite wailed in futility.

"Endymion, don't!" I heard Sailor Venus shout over the gale.

"Turn your power away from my city and my people!" Endymion challenged the darkness, "Take me if you dare! Take me back to your Dark Kingdom, to your Queen!"

For a moment it seemed that the whirling magic that sundered everything around us turned its attention fully on our Master. Senshi and Shitennou were silent as the hateful storm continued to consume everything. Endymion seemed ready to leap into the blackness of the magical onslaught itself. A bolt of black lightning crackled above and streaked downward just above my Prince. I closed my eyes unable to watch…

But then to my astonishment a light shone through the darkness that was not of the Dark Kingdom's making. This light was golden and pure and when that light fell upon me I felt something within, a feeling, a power long dormant reawakening. My strength returned to me tenfold, my arm which was shattered by the siege-master's club was mended and I felt as warm and invigorated as though I had been basking in rays of sunlight. The magical lightning that sought to envelop Endymion where he stood was blasted away. The swirling clouds and bolts of black magic that were assaulting us began to dissipate and the earth ceased quaking. Even the gray clouds above the battlefield were dispersed and the burning orange horizon of the evening sky was revealed. Within moments the dark presence of Thetis' foul magic was gone. The wounds of both senshi and Shitennou were mended and the remaining youma which had been waiting to charge broke rank and fled.

Something was sparked within me which I could not explain at the time. Conflicting emotions ran rampant from elation to despair, depression to vengeance. I felt a great surge of power well up from the depths of my being which I embraced fully. None of us were quite sure what had happened until we saw the lone figure, robed in white, standing amidst the chaos of the battlefield. His hair was like snow and the gilt lining of his robe sparkled in the setting sun. He strode towards my Master Endymion and I recognized his face at last.

"Helios!" I snapped in fury, but the enigmatic priest ignored me.

"My Prince." Helios spoke as bowed before Endymion, "I apologize for my long absence."

"Helios…" my Master spoke in breathless astonishment, "What did you do?"

"I did nothing." Helios answered with a smile and gestured towards Endymion.

The priest offered his hand to my Master and upon his palm rested a glittering golden jewel. It was a perfectly symmetrical octahedron in shape and it pulsed with blinding light as Endymion reached out to it. I had not seen a crystal of such exquisite beauty in all my days and I was sure I had never before beheld this magical stone, but I knew it in my heart and its name rolled off my tongue: _kinzuishou_. The Golden Crystal of Elysion.

"Victory was narrowly snatched from the jaws of defeat today." Helios spoke as Endymion's fingers traced the facets of the stone, "Long have I kept the Golden Crystal safe until the day its power would be needed again." Endymion picked up the crystal between his thumb and forefinger and marveled at it as Helios continued. "Your valor has been tested many times, but the Dark Kingdom is relentless. Only with the power of this holy stone can we prevail and only you, my Prince, can wield it. Today you proved through honor and valor that this ancient power must once again be held in the hands of the King."

The battlefield was silent as rays of pure gold washed over the scarred land and began to heal it. The fissures and crevices opened by Thetis' black magic closed and leveled. The corpses of the dead youma burned to ash and were carried away by a strong wind. The earth sprouted forth and the emerald expanse of the Elsyian Fields filled in where there was only mud and bloodshed moments ago. The cheers that erupted from the surviving soldiers were deafening and tears streamed down my face at so moving a sight.

"The time has come to claim your birthright." Helios said as my Master lifted the Golden Crystal to his eyes and it blazed forth with unparalleled splendor, "All hail _King _Endymion!"

The Golden Crystal showered my Master with light and his tattered garments were replaced by a snow-white frock over which golden plates of fine mail locked together to form dazzling ornate armor. A cape of white with a gilded sun cross was draped over his shoulders and fastened with golden chains. Upon his head a pointed crown came to rest and the Golden Crystal itself was set upon the top of a rod-like scepter in Endymion's right hand. Helios stepped back and knelt in reverence, as did the Shitennou and even the senshi who were still on the field with us. Endymion raised his new scepter, continuing to stare into the depths of the Golden Crystal and offered a contented smile which set every last living thing on the Elysian Fields cheering.

Far off in the distance I saw a pair of radiant jade eyes staring down from the parapets near one of the ruined watch-towers. Setsuna leaned out over the battlefield taking in the jubilation below and she smiled in that melancholy way. Her eyes were fixed on Endymion whose back was to the city. My eyesight was keen and at one point I caught her glance and was transfixed. Tears threatened to stain her lovely face. There was such emotion in her eyes that felt as though I wept for her in my own joy. Huzzahs began to be cried and the crowd began chanting rhythmically the name of our long-awaited King.

My brethren and I joined in and became lost in the revelry. It would not be until later after celebrations and reconstructions had abated that I would finally be able to take all I had witnessed into focus. The enemy had been defeated and my Master had ascended to the full status of his stately position. Little did I know the events of that day would forever change the course of my life and redirect my personal sojourn down a much darker path.


	16. Interlude 2

**INTERLUDE**

Luna watched Zoisite pause and turn away to lean with both hands over a stone balcony to take in the dark garden below. He seemed exhausted after relating the tale of Thetis and the siege of Elysion and she noted his very subtle attempts to maintain composure. After a few moments he returned, whisking errant strands of copper hair away from his face.

"I apologize, Luna." He said to her, "To speak of such things weighs heavily on my heart."

"I understand." Luna assured her host, "We do not have to continue if—"

"No!" Zoisite interrupted, "These things must be said for your benefit, Luna, for that of Queen Serenity and the welfare of the entire Silver Millennium."

She silently nodded her approval and Zoisite offered a simple smile. Luna sensed the troubled emotions running through him, though she was not completely sure why hewas so conflicted in the telling of his story. There was obviously some deeper meaning to this tale that he had yet to arrive at. Unexpectedly the Shitennou moved to the bench where Luna was seated and reclined next to her.

"On that day many things changed." Zoisite explained as he glanced up to the black heavens, "Chief among them was that my Master finally achieved the power he had for so long denied himself."

"Why did Endymion refuse to become king?" Luna asked with genuine interest, "Surely he ruled as such for many years while still being called Prince."

"My Master is powerful, cunning, and resourceful." Zoisite elaborated in reverent tones, "But above all he is humble. He does not see kingship as a title to be worn like a fine robe or to be flaunted as some cherished possession."

"But he is of royal blood." Luna said, "Was kingship not his right by inheritance?"

"My Master does not place much value in such antiquated systems of rule." Zoisite told her, "By blood or succession he may have inherited the responsibility, but he is a man of no small conviction. To simply claim lordship and dominion because of such things is not his way; rather he meant to prove his worth by deed and action."

"And truly Endymion's deeds are both just and mighty." She complimented Zoisite's master, remembering her as a guest of the besieged kingdom.

"I appreciate your kind words, Luna." Zoisite responded thankfully, "And I am glad it is you who will take my story back to your Queen. I pray she respects your counsel as much as I."

Luna offered her host a humble smile with a nod of her head and the pair sat silently for several moments before a thought drifted into the woman's mind.

"The Golden Crystal." She spoke plainly, "What is its nature?"

Zoisite was surprised by the question; she could tell by the expression he wore. He was not worried, or anxious, but something about his complexion revealed that the topic of inquiry was not something he was prepared to elaborate on.

"It is…" Zoisite began to speak and took considerable care in choosing his words, "A source of great power. Something that is very holy and unique to the Earth."

"Unique?" Luna asked intrigued.

"The Golden Crystal acts as a gateway to the pure energy of the planet." The mystical Shitennou confided, "It is the source of my Master Endymion's great strength and contains the very essence of the Earth within it."

"Such a treasure would be the stuff of legend." Luna replied and noted the similarities between the holy stone of Elysion and Queen Serenity's own _ginzuishou,_ "However, when you spoke of it earlier it was as though you had never seen it before?"

"Indeed." Zoisite answered, "Until that moment I had no recollection of the Golden Crystal. As I said, many things changed on that day. Some were for the better, but some…"

"It was hidden from you?" Luna guessed and Zoisite's smirk indicated her assumption was correct.

"Not only me, but all the Shitennou." He continuesd, "It is strange that we should be kept ignorant of something so closely tied to our own existence."

"Your existence?" she asked somewhat confused, "What do you mean?"

"You remember I told you of the longevity of the Shitennou?" Zoisite asked and Luna nodded in recollection, "Our very existence is tied to that of the Golden Crystal."

"Truly?" she asked amazed at such a claim.

"It is because of this connection that we share that we can call upon powers of the Earth." He continued, "The Shitennou, Master Endymion, The Earth and the Golden Crystal; we are all connected."

"I hazard to think the Dark Kingdom was not prepared to stand against such a power." Luna said hoping not to offend, "And what of the priest you mentioned, the one who presented Endymion with the Crystal? Helios, you called him, does he share some connection as well?"

At the mention of Helios' name the corner of Zoisite's lip curled down into a sneer which he quickly hid by turning away and pretending to clear his throat. Luna grumbled to herself as her attempt at evading offense failed.

"Helios shares a somewhat… different connection to _my_ Master." Zoisite stressed his point and attempted to present his explanation as unbiased, but it was for naught, "He is the caretaker of the Golden Crystal. Like you said: a priest, and nothing more."

"But the way he figured into your tale made him seem to be more than a simple holy man." Luna coaxed no longer concerned with upsetting her host.

"Since it seems my attempt at nonchalance is wasted I will speak plainly." He confessed and his scowl became more pronounced, "My jealousy over Helios' status in the eyes of Master Endymion clouds my judgment of him. Furthermore, he was trusted with wisdom that even we, the Shitennou, were not made privy to."

"What manner of wisdom?"

"Great and terrible secrets that once known must be _endured_ and not simply kept." He answered somewhat cryptically as Luna had deduced was in his nature, "And these too are part of my story."

"You will trust me with these secrets?" Luna asked both honored and apprehensive at the thought, "I do not wish to imply that my purpose here is to gather such things."

"It matters not." Zoisite replied as he recollected, "They will all be known in time. No secret remains as such, like on that day when the Golden Crystal was revealed. Many secrets were learned that day."

"The identities of the Sailor Senshi…" She thought aloud.

"Indeed that may have been the greatest secret of them all." Zoisite agreed with an almost imperceptible wink, "And it is fitting you should mention them as they figure quite prominently in the events after the Dark Kingdom's attack."

"Prominently?" Luna questioned with an almost worrisome groan.

"Ah, something you were not aware of?" Zoisite asked with a slight chuckle, "Secrets, my dear Luna. They are all made known at some point."

"So it would seem…"

"Actually, it began on the day that we were visited by a colleague of yours." The Shitennou remembered with a stroke of his chin, "The Grand Magus of your court, I believe."

"Artemis?" Luna asked exuberantly as she had not seem much of her good friend in many months.

"Yes. He came to us after the battle to research the Dark Kingdom and their magic." Zoisite elaborated, "His discoveries directed our efforts for a time, but in the end we found that the Dark Kingdom's mask simply peeled back one more time."

"Which mask?"

"The mask of their Queen." Zoisite said as he began his tale anew, "Or should I say: Queens."


	17. Chapter 13, The Beautiful Dreamer

**THIRTEEN**

**The Beautiful Dreamer**

Ruined. Broken. Decimated. Destroyed.

Choose whichever word you prefer, all were appropriate to describe the scene that awaited me in the Capital Palace where my private office once stood. I suppose bad luck could be discounted as I had no need for such superstition, but still, I could scarcely consider my day getting any worse.

The stone wall and arched windows that formed the back of my office was gone, replaced by a gaping hole courtesy of a boulder hurled by one of the Dark Kingdom's siege weapons. Said boulder was now sitting idle in the midst of my office on top of my desk which had been reduced to kindling. Several of my bookcases had been toppled and smashed and the assorted books, scrolls and baubles were now scattered about the floor. I took in a deep breath while musing to myself that no other projectiles landed within two hundred yards of the Capital Palace but this one and tried to convince myself to start cleaning up the mess.

My efforts were futile and I slumped with my back against the boulder and slid down onto the floor. The power of the Golden Crystal had dispelled the evil of Thetis, broken the lines of the Dark Kingdom, and healed the earth of its wounds, but the capital city of Elysion was badly damaged in the siege and required significant effort to repair and refortify. I was not exhausted even following the massive recovery efforts within the city, but for the last few days I had drifted into an alarming depression. I say alarming because such a mental state is not at all common for me. I was constantly wracked with thoughts of guilt and inadequacy when I contemplated my role in the battle. I did not appreciate it when my mind wandered to those bleak, horrifying memories, but I could not stop myself. I drifted back to only a few short days before when I stood on the field of battle in awe of the Dark Kingdom's terrible might and for the first time felt unable to rise to the challenge. But then when all hope had faded a miracle occurred; the Golden Crystal appeared.

I was still confused over that topic, forgoing the fact that it saved all of our lives and the lives of the innocent civilians of Elysion, but the notion that I knew nothing of the Golden Crystal until that day vexed me greatly. Of particularly unsavory mention was the manner of its appearance in the hands of Helios. His obvious knowledge of the holy stone was troubling to me, but not so much as it being _he_ who delivered the powerful talisman to my Master Endymion. I did not allow myself to feel sickened by the thought as I proudly believed myself to be above such base emotions, but the thought sickened me.

"Of all the places that boulder could have struck." I did not realize the door to my remaining office was open when I heard Endymion's voice, "I truly wish you better days ahead, Zoisite."

"Master!" I exclaimed as I launched to my feet, "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you approach."

"It's all right." He dismissed me and offered a compassionate sigh, "At least we can be thankful it was only wood and stone that was injured."

"Yes, very fortunate." I agreed, "But it could have been avoided altogether if I were able to destroy their remaining artillery."

"Zoisite, the fact alone that you disabled so many of their weapons by yourself with no aid is worthy of great tales." Endymion said with a pride.

"Perhaps, but I still feel I was…" I paused to find the right word, "… impotent."

"Impotent?" My Master reacted with shock, "That's ludicrous."

"No, I should have been able to do more!" I pleaded as suddenly a rush of those dark memories overtook me, "So many died on that field and with you lost in the wilderness… I feel as though I fell short of my duty."

"Zoisite, you took the field alone against impossible odds." Endymion consoled me as he stood close beside, "Any other man would have quailed in fear of such a task. You did a great thing."

I hesitated for a moment before deciding to let my emotions take control: "When Thetis appeared on the battlefield, Master, I felt completely powerless. Many times we have faced terrible trials only to emerge unscathed; I believe I had always taken it for granted, but against that creature… I am not used to experiencing such dread and despair."

"None of us were prepared for what the Dark Kingdom was going to unleash on us." Endymion assured me, "We were all taken by surprise and no amount of preparation would have changed that."

"But to see the armies ravaged in such a way; to see the city burn and the Elysian Fields themselves wither." I continued as the mental stress of the last few days eased in my telling, "I... I was unable to protect you, Master. My life, the whole reason for my existence is to that end, but if such a force as the Dark Kingdom exists to rob me of my ability to fulfill that duty, what then is my worth?"

"Zoisite, such contrition is not at all like you." Endymion noted, "The battle is won! The Dark Kingdom has been repelled and it will be some time before they attempt to strike us again if indeed they are able to recover from this defeat." My master leaned into closer, "What is truly bothering you?"

"I felt I would die on that day." I replied honestly, "I felt we would all be destroyed. I lost all hope, gave into despair and then…" I felt the sentence force its way to my lips from behind my crumbling bulwark of restraint, "Master, why did you never tell us of the Golden Crystal?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"And why should Helios be entrusted with such a power?" I hissed.

Endymion let his head drift to one side as he viewed me with a mixture of suspicion and empathy. He smirked, but not in any jovial fashion. "So that's the problem, eh? I forgot of your rather tepid relationship with Helios."

"Master, I don't wish for you to presume my feelings toward Helios are the sole cause of my behavior." I assure him though my attempt to veil my white lies is evident, "But why does he, a hermit who comes and goes from your sight at his own choosing, know and keep such a powerful secret when your loyal Shitennou are kept ignorant?"

"Zoisite…" Endymion began, but I cut him off. I do not believe I had ever done that before.

"He presumes himself to be your right arm, Master!" I continued my tirade, "And further, if we had known of the Golden Crystal's power we could have used it to save many lives before Helios decided to appear in his own good time!"

"Zoisite, enough!" Endymion shouted and I was immediately aware of how far I'd overstepped my bounds, "There is much about Helios you do not know and much about the Golden Crystal that I would tell you for the asking, but this jealousy is unbecoming!"

"Jealousy?" I asked almost insulted, "Master, I am only speaking on the matter of trust. Trust in a secret power that should have been shared with your Shitennou."

"Trust? You believe I trust Helios more than you?" my Master asked back, "Zoisite, how many times have I come to you for counsel when I was deep in the throes of my own agonies? So many times your words have steered me down right paths and I have bared my soul to you for as long as we have been friends."

"Many times, Master…"

"You know me better than anyone else." Endymion said to me as he grasped the side of my head and stared into my eyes, "I hazard to think even Kunzite for all his wisdom and subtlety does not know me half as well as you do. Trust me when I say there is a good reason for the deception."

I found myself unable to reply, almost choked with regret for my fiery words only moments ago. This man, my Master Endymion, was truly the keenest intellect I had ever known. He had cut through my thin veil of embellishment to reach the source of my discontent. I should have been up-front with my feelings from the start.

"The Golden Crystal was kept a secret from everyone, not just the Shitennou." Endymion explained, "I only learned of its existence when I came of age. It is an heirloom of ages long past and Helios was appointed to guard the Golden Crystal until its power would be needed again. He is the only other person on Earth who knew of its existence."

"But why keep it a secret, Master?" I asked still confused by the whole ordeal.

He told me: "The Crystal's power is great and in the long distant past wars were fought over its possession. In time it faded into legend, but such things do not pass away. It was kept secret to protect Elysion and its people. The danger passed only to those who knew of its existence and had to endure its bloody legacy."

"So by keeping the Crystal hidden you were…" I suddenly felt foolish and ashamed of my behavior, "… protecting us."

Endymion nodded with a smile and said: "Helios had been its guardian for many generations before I was born. He may appear youthful to you and I, but in fact he is ancient and his wisdom is great. Until now we have been able to fight our enemies through perseverance and strength of will, but against the Dark Kingdom only the power of the Golden Crystal could help us prevail."

"Master…" I started to speak, but could find no words.

"Don't worry yourself about today, Zoisite." Endymion assured me in his greatly compassionate way, "I don't expect you and Helios to become fast friends, but I do want you to understand that I trust him. I trust him as fully and without hesitation as I trust each of my Shitennou."

"Of course." I replied and added with great enthusiasm, "My King."

Endymion smiled with a slight blush and said, "Perhaps later we can discuss more of the nature of the Golden Crystal. I know such things interest you."

I was about to voice my agreement when suddenly the hallway outside was astir with the clamor of armored plates and guards rushing by with weapons drawn. I instinctively placed myself between Endymion and the doorway and called one of the guards inside.

"Something is coming through the astral gate!" the soldier told me frantically.

"This is unordinary." Endymion stated and turned to me, "With all the Princesses here already who else could Queen Serenity send to us?"

"If whatever it is indeed comes from the Queen." I replied warily, "We should hasten to the gate."

Endymion nodded his agreement and we joined the armored sentinel in a fast sprint toward the subterranean chamber which housed Elysion's astral gate. When we arrived the ringed structure was already glowing and spreading a thin mist throughout the room. Soldiers stood around the monolithic arches with spears and swords drawn. Kunzite and Nephrite were here as well and the former greeted us with his customary firm glare. Within moments a person emerged from the gate and though he was obviously alarmed at the defensive welcome he nonetheless introduced himself directly to Endymion.

"My lord Endymion." He spoke in a subdued, studious voice, "I bring tidings from Queen Serenity. She congratulates you on your recent victory over the Dark Kingdom and hopes for a swift and positive outcome in the forthcoming summit between our peoples."

"I take your Queen's kind words with grace." Endymion replied, "By what name should I know you, sir?"

"I am Artemis, Grand Magus of the Silver Millennium." He introduced himself with a bow and his long white hair draped about his collar to reveal ears which came to curious points.

"Grand Magus?" I asked our unexpected guest, "You are a sorcerer?"

"An alchemist by trade." He corrected me, "But I also study the histories of various cultures, nature, science, philosophy, art. I am at heart a simple scholar fascinated by the mysteries of our universe."

"And to what fascination do we owe your unannounced appearance?" Kunzite asked sternly.

"Research." He replied succinctly, "With your permission, my lord Endymion, I have come to study the Dark Kingdom and offer any findings I may discover in support of your campaign against them."

Nephrite snorted: "I rather think a contingent of your Queen's soldiers would better serve our 'campaign' as you call it."

"Of course we are thankful for any assistance Queen Serenity can offer us." Endymion spoke up immediately attempting to cover for Nephrite's taciturn manner, "I know she wishes to do more, but until our negotiations with the Silver Alliance are settled her hands are tied."

"Well, if we are in agreement I should like to begin right away." Artemis said, "We detected the power of the Dark Kingdom's magic as far away as the Moon, but traces of that power linger only briefly. It would be of great benefit to study it before it dissipates totally."

"Very well then. We welcome your expertise." Endymion said cordially, "Zoisite, perhaps you could assist the Grand Magus with his preparations?"

"Of course, Master."

"Zoisite is one of my most trusted companions." Endymion said with beaming pride which was heartwarming while at the same time somewhat embarrassing, "He has studied alchemy extensively and is a masterful magician. I believe his skills would be of great value to your research."

"I would be honored to work with one of Endymion's legendary Shitennou." Artemis said, but abruptly turned back to my Master, "However, before I begin I must deliver an urgent message to the Princesses."

"Of course." Endymion replied. "Zoisite, Kunzite, could you escort Magus Artemis to the Princess' suites? Nephrite, I'd like you to come with me to the barracks and see if there is any way we can assist with tending to the wounded soldiers that are still there."

"Yes, Master." The three of us replied almost in unison and Kunzite and I ushered our guest towards the doors leading out of the astral gate chamber.

"I apologize for the intrusion." Artemis offered, "I'm sure you both must be concerned with other tasks, but I am appreciative of your assistance."

"If the message you bear is so urgent then I suspect Queen Serenity could have sent a courier ahead of you." Kunzite questioningly stated.

"Normally that would be the case." Artemis replied, "However the nature of the message—I'm sorry, I do not wish to engender any intrigue during this period of negotiation—but Queen Serenity did not wish to take the risk of her message being _intercepted_."

"Intercept as a spy would?" Kunzite snapped and stopped dead in the hallway and stood before Artemis with a glower: "I can assure you now that no man in Elysion is more committed to peace between our people than my Master Endymion. I take your presumption of espionage as an insult to him."

"I'm sure Queen Serenity is well aware of our Master's good intentions." I stated, interjecting myself between the two, "In such a delicate position as hers I'm sure such precautions are only natural."

"Indeed." Artemis said to me with a smile and then turning to Kunzite asked, "Is it much farther to the Princess' lodgings?"

Kunzite's jaw tightened and he replied: "No. This way,_ please_."

The Princess' suites were indeed close and after only a few moments we stood in the large circular common area which connected the Princess' rooms together. Artemis took his leave and knocked on the door the suite occupied by Haruka and Michiru. He then ushered them into the room housing Setsuna and the child-princess Hotaru and the door shut with the audible latch of the locking bolt following. I sat on the edge of a plush leather couch and waited while Kunzite paced back and forth with a distasteful look about him.

"You certainly spoke your mind back there." I said while not taking my eyes off the roving Shitennou in front of me, "You sounded almost as crass as Nephrite."

"Secret messages and unannounced visits from the Moon?" Kunzite asked me and almost spat, "You mean to tell me you are not at all perturbed by their presumptuous ways?"

"Kunzite, _we_ do such things frequently within the borders of our own country." I reminded my elder companion, "And we are not yet officially allies of the Silver Millennium. Their Queen has every right to be cautious."

"Cautious of what?" Kunzite snorted back, "Cautious of the kingdom that houses the only functioning astral gate on the Earth? Cautious of the soldiers and citizens of Elysion who are the only line of defense against the Dark Kingdom and the rest of the Silver Alliance?"

"What has gotten into you Kunzite?" I asked sensing a change in my companion's normally reserved composure, "You have always been supportive of our efforts at peace with the Silver Alliance, these things have never bothered you before."

Kunzite breathed in heavily and wrung his fists, turning to me with a face strained by forced restraint but betrayed by an ever-increasing need to let something out. Then as he exhaled just as heavily the elder Shitennou slumped down in the chair across from me and cradled his head in his palms. A stifled, ironic chuckle issued from his downtrodden shape.

"What is it?" I prodded.

"Not something I should discuss." He replied, "It's a personal matter."

"Personal matters tend to become public sooner rather than later." I advised him, "Especially when they are unchecked and left to moulder."

"That's very insightful." He droned back, "But I find the topic somewhat … embarrassing."

I laughed in spite of his scowl and said: "Kunzite, I remember when Endymion, as an infant, would soil himself every time you picked him up! We have all endured embarrassments and you can be assured I'm not going to share your issues with anyone."

"Your persistence ever astounds me." He growled and sighed again, "It concerns, uh… Minako."

"Minako." I repeated, not questioning, but almost accusing. I did not need to be reminded of her in light of the other calamities requiring my attention. However, a thought suddenly occurred to me and I said, "Ahh, let me guess: she has found more worthy prey and you, having served your purpose, are now cast by the wayside?"

"What?" Kunzite asked oblivious to the connection I was making to my own experience with the Venusian princess, "No, no. That's not it at all. I only wish it were such a little matter."

I resisted the urge to simply stand up and walk away to let my seething anger and pangs of jealousy work themselves out in one of the training halls. Kunzite for all his wisdom could at times remain completely oblivious to the drama that sometimes plays out before his eyes. I hazarded my next question with trepidation: "Then what is the concern?"

"It was a, uh…" Kunzite stalled and attempted to focus his attention on something else in the room, but found it futile, "We had a… romantic encounter."

"Pardon me?"

"Two nights ago." He clarified a point on which I needed no clarification made to my abused ears, "It was not something I had pursued although I had enjoyed her company over the last few days. It simply… happened."

"I see." I replied and swallowed my pride, "So why does that trouble you?"

"She told me I was 'passionate' and, uh, 'talented.'" Kunzite said with much difficulty.

"How very thoughtful of her to say."

"She also told me…" Kunzite started and groaned once again, "She said in spite of my… performance… she was used to her _encounters_…" he paused again and whispered, "Lasting longer."

"Hah!" I yelped with laughter before I could clap a hand over my mouth and Kunzite furiously stood from his chair and began pacing again.

"That's exactly the reaction I was hoping for Zoisite, thank you!" He berated me as he rested his head against the white stone wall, "I would have been better off taking counsel with Jadeite."

"Oh Kunzite, don't be so _hasty_." I continued laughing, making sure he picked up on my pun, "Perhaps you still could. I'm sure our resident Casanova could prescribe an herbal remedy or tincture to increase your romantic stamina."

"Infantile." He barked, "This is infantile. You know I hate this side of you."

"Come on Kunzite, don't be so _quick_ to judge." I continued ribbing him.

"Zoisite, I swear…" the elder Shitennou threatened through reddened face.

"Okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." I apologized with no sincerity, "But you don't have to be so _short _with me."

"That's it!" He bellowed and came at me ready to brawl.

Kunzite never got the chance to repay my juvenile jabs with physical ones, however, as Artemis reappeared at that moment. My seething companion straightened up immediately and I stood at his side stealing a glance every now and then of his twitching features attempting to hold back scowls and a furrowed brow. Feeling I had availed myself of enough of Kunzite's embarrassment to balance my own when it came to Princess Minako I dropped the topic. Artemis came towards us followed by the four princesses of Saturn, Neptune, Uranus and Pluto.

"More assistance for your research?" I asked Artemis somewhat perplexed.

"No, I'm afraid not." Michiru said in place of the Grand Magus and turned to Kunzite, "Unfortunately we must take our leave of you and the generosity of your kingdom, Master Kunzite. Queen Serenity has called for us to return to the Moon."

"Before our negotiations have even begun?" Kunzite asked practically flabbergasted, "My Ladies, if this has anything to do with the recent attack I can assure you that you are more than safe here, especially now that we know of your senshi heritage."

"And that is precisely why we must depart." Setsuna told us. She had one hand protectively draped over Hotaru's slim shoulder, "Please do not ask me to say more, for I will not."

"Well…" Kunzite said and stalled for a moment trying to piece the broken pieces of this situation together, "If you must leave then we will escort you to the astral gate."

"You said we were safe here." Haruka, the brash Princess of Uranus spoke, "I think we can find our own way without incident."

Haruka said nothing more and departed down the hallway, never to be seen on the Earth again. Michiru bowed deeply to us and thanked us again for our hospitality. She also took Hotaru by the hand who as a princess was young for her age, but to me it never seemed as though she needed a constant, protective escort. Setsuna lingered for a moment and motioned to me with her long, delicate fingers.

"Zoisite, a word with you?" she asked and I immediately took my leave of Kunzite and Artemis. My two companions bowed and began walking away, but I distinctly saw Kunzite twist his head around with a wondering gaze.

Setsuna smiled a warm, enigmatic smile as we began walking down the hallway a considerable distance behind the rest of the Princesses. When we reached an alcove near one of the ancillary corridors the Princess ducked inside and bade me to follow. In that cramped space I was face-to-face with her and felt intoxicated by her very glance. Her skin seemed to glow with a soft, pale luminescence. Her eyes were deep and dark set into mine and her scent nearly brought my eyes to tears with passionate release. Something about her was timeless and I was struck dumb by her enchanting presence.

"Zoisite." She said to me and I listened intently, "I ask that you take a message to Endymion on my behalf."

"A message?" I asked lazily.

"There are things happening now that no one can see." Setsuna cryptically replied, "But I have seen them. I have seen the end of all paths and I know the answers to many mysteries, but this is my burden to bear. Alone."

As Setsuna spoke shadows drifted over her face from the flickering lantern light and she suddenly looked old to me; very old and very tired.

"You must tell Endymion that the time has come for him to act. He can no longer remain idle; he cannot wait for the Silver Alliance to make the first move. Tell him that the time has come." She said strongly, "Tell him it was I who said this."

"The time has come?" I repeated.

"He will know what it means." Setsuna assured me, "I would tell him myself, but… I lack the courage."

I squinted slightly wondering how a creature such as she could lack anything at all. I assumed she was being coy, but at the same time thought she may have spoken from honesty. She reached up and traced her silken fingertips across the side of my face and although I could not understand why I felt very melancholy. She acted with such empathy towards me it was as though she had known me my whole life though we had only met recently and shared little more than pleasantries.

"Goodbye, Zoisite." She said with a sad smile and turned away. She walked out into the corridor towards the astral gate with her endless sparkling sea of jade hair waving behind her and I never saw her again.

Moments later I found myself walking side-by-side with Kunzite and Artemis again although I could scarcely recall catching up to them. I was still bewitched by the lingering words of the Princess of Pluto and by the thought of her ageless beauty. Artemis was babbling about something vaguely scientific, but at that moment I did not care for what he had to say. So many experiences in so short a time from the arrival of the Princesses to the battle and now this; in all my life I had never found myself so internally conflicted. I remember thinking how glad I would be when these myriad crises were behind us…

We neared the exit of the Capital Palace when Kunzite spun around in front of us to say: "Grand Magus, I have duties that require my attention so I must take my leave. I hope you find Zoisite to be of _adequate_ assistance."

"And I hope you fulfill your duties with the utmost _speed_." I sassed back to an unappreciative Kunzite who bowed to Artemis while glowering at my smugness. He then tossed his cape over his shoulder with overly dramatic flair and marched away in the opposite direction.

"He's a bit of a cross chap, isn't he?" Artemis asked with a jovial grin.

"Only on the surface." I assured my guest knowing full well Kunzite's current predicament would resolve itself as he never left any issue unresolved. My humor at his expense notwithstanding, of course.

Artemis replied with a chuckle and we strode out of the Capital into the plaza in the center of the city which was thankfully undamaged by the Dark Kingdom's siege. Over the next several days Artemis and I worked closely and I learned many things about the study of alchemy that I had never known. His research was complex and involved a generous amount of trial and error testing and reverse-engineering to match certain energies and magical residues. While we worked the other Shitennou continued recovery efforts in and around Elysion. The remaining Princesses aided where they could and Endymion spent much of his free time, which was not much at all, with Princess Serenity. Thankfully their simultaneous rescue from the wilderness on the day of the Dark Kingdom's attack was a topic that had fallen by the wayside and all of us were content to leave it there. Above all else I was sworn to serve my Master and abide by his commands, but I could not help thinking that his continued courtship of the Moon Princess would only complicate an already complicated situation.

Such issues were distracting to my work and I vowed they would be given their proper contemplation, but at the time I needed to focus on the work Artemis and I were undertaking. After many tests and consultations with a veritable library of scholarly texts which were transported in huge wooden trunks from the moon a half-dozen at a time we finally began to understand the origin of the Dark Kingdom's colossal power. What we found was startling and ancient. The fact that the Dark Kingdom had apparently discovered something, or someone, which had faded into myth ages before any of us walked the Earth was particularly unsettling and such a discovery would have to be shared not only with my Master Endymion, but with all who had a vested interest in seeing the Dark Kingdom's downfall. To that end we organized a gathering one evening on a night when a full moon would be assured as an extra, if somewhat superstitious precaution from the power of the ancient secret we had uncovered.

As I made my way towards the conference room where the gathering was to take place I heard a familiar voice call, "Zoisite!"

"Ah, hello Ami." I replied as we had mutually agreed to forgo our honorific titles at our first meeting.

"I've been anxious all day since I heard about your discoveries." She said as she wound her fingers together in front of her, "It's been some time since I've been able to take part in any sort of scholarly undertaking."

"You have an interest in this sort of study?" I asked as we walked along together.

"Oh yes, very much so." She replied enthusiastically, "Unfortunately my duties as Princess interfere with my academic pursuits more than I wish. I have a great interest in history and science; mathematics especially."

"You must possess a keen sense of logic then." I complemented her, "Jadeite and I sometimes enjoy testing each other with logic puzzles or riddles, though his tend to drift into somewhat less than scholarly territory from time to time." I recalled one of Jadeite's riddles whose answer formed a vulgar limerick and decided against repeating it.

"Well perhaps someday we can match wits." Ami almost challenged me with a wry smile, "Are you fond of a bit of academic rivalry?"

"Well I wouldn't be a proper scholar if I wasn't." I assured her as I stuck my nose into the air with mock haughtiness and she let out a chirp of laughter in response, "Actually a thought has occurred to me: Artemis and I still have much work ahead of us. Perhaps you could take part in our research as well."

"I would lo—!" she started to reply, but then forced herself to stop and bury her very obvious exuberance under her refined armor of etiquette, "A very gracious offer. I would be very appreciative to join you."

"And we'll be glad to have you." I replied and tried to sound serious, "But while you're working with us you're a scholar, not a princess, so there's no need to stand on ceremony."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Enjoy the things you enjoy and just try to have fun, Ami." I said as we neared the conference room, "It seems to me you don't get enough of it."

She bowed her head slightly and smiled again, something I noted she rarely did outside of my company. We entered the room together where chairs were set about along wooden table which was strewn with leafs of paper bearing hastily scrawled notes and charcoal scribbling from Artemis' research. Kunzite, Jadeite and Nephrite were seated on one side of the table with my Master Endymion and the princesses directly across from them. Artemis was scurrying back and forth organizing notes at a large podium which stood before the table. The walls of this room were plain, clad only sparsely with brass coat-of-arms from the varied regions of Elysion. I took my seat with my fellow Shitennou and waited for Artemis to finish his preparations.

"I apologize for the haste of this meeting." The Grand Magus began, "But Zoisite and I have been working feverishly for the last few days and the discoveries we have made are, well, they're astounding to say the least."

"Have you discovered the nature of the Dark Kingdom?" Kunzite asked expectantly.

"The nature of it?" Artemis repeated, "Possibly. Possibly. Let me first begin with our previous assumptions as to the source of the Dark Kingdom's youma. Previously we believed them to be feral creatures given will by the black magic of the Dark Kingdom, however…"

Artemis pulled a large scroll from a satchel and unfurled it on the table. Immediately members of both parties, senshi and Shitennou looked away in disgust as the scroll depicted a detailed drawing of a dead youma with its skin splayed open to reveal the organs within juxtaposed against a similar depiction of a dissected human body.

"Zoisite and I studied several of the youma carcasses that weren't incinerated after the battle." Artemis explained as he pointed to various organs and vessels on the drawing that no one truly wanted to see, "As shown here many similar organ structures are shared, but the truly surprising discovery came when we studied the youma's brain."

Artemis reached under the table and produced a large glass jar filled with an olive-colored liquid in which was suspended the ruddy brain of a youma. The scrape of chairs against stone floor filled the room as the attendants of this slightly unorthodox meeting slid back and away from the specimen.

"As you can see, the structure of the brain itself is almost identical to that of a human's." Artemis continued and referred back to a handful of notes, "But when we performed alchemical tests and compared the results to previous medical research we found that the youma's brain did not simply _appear _identical, but rather it _is_ identical to the brain of a full-grown human being."

"You're saying these creatures are human?" Princess Rei asked in horror.

"At one time they would have appeared no less normal than you or I." The Grand Magus replied, "But something, some power or process within the Dark Kingdom itself warped these humans into the creatures your enemy sends against you."

"On my voyage to Acheron I was attacked by a man who became a youma before my eyes." I added and glanced at Nephrite who appeared thankfully uninterested, "I had assumed he was possessed by the spirit of one of the foul creatures, but it was the man himself who changed."

"What causes it?" Endymion asked as he was one of the few at the table who studied the specimen brain intently.

"We don't fully understand the process." Artemis confessed, "But it seems to be related to the powerful black magics the Dark Kingdom commands."

"And have you discovered the source of that power?" Kunzite asked.

"Possibly." Was again Artemis' reply which served to visibly agitate the eldest Shitennou, "Unfortunately the leylines of the Earth that had been energized by the battle had gone dormant, but we were able to find trace wisps of magical residue left over on the wounds incurred by some of the Elysian soldiers."

Artemis continued: "Our experiments revealed something we could not have expected, the chief discovery that we are all assembled here to know. The Dark Kingdom's black magic seems to resemble, at least in part, a power that was wielded by an ancient tyrant on the Moon, Queen Nehellenia."

"Nehellenia?" Jadeite echoed as he scratched the corner of his mouth, "I've heard that name before."

"Probably in ghost stories as we all did growing up." Minako said and repeated the verse:

"_Chant her name before mirror's gleam and the Dark Queen comes to devour your dreams_."

"Minako…" Princess Serenity complained and wrapped her arms around herself, disturbed by the old rhyme even now as a young woman.

"It's true she lent her name and likeness to folklore, but Queen Nehellenia lived, ages ago." Artemis clarified, "She was incredibly vain and she believed herself to be the most beautiful creature in the galaxy. Her subjects were the weak-willed denizens of the Moon who allowed themselves to fall under her sway just for the chance to look upon her."

"One day, it was said, a voice beckoned to her from her mirror and she saw a reflection of herself as an old, haggard woman and she became terrified of ever losing her beauty." The Grand Magus continued, "The voice promised her eternal youth and beauty, but at the cost of the life-energy of the members of her court. Her willing subjects offered up their lives to Nehellenia who raised their bodies from the grave in the form of nightmarish creatures called _lemures_. And with the help of a great power gifted to her by the voice in the mirror she attacked the kingdom of Queen Serenity, hoping to overthrow her and claim dominion over the whole Moon."

"The name of the ship that attacked us before our voyage to Acheron was the _Lemures_." I recalled and my pulse began to quicken at the thought of the connection.

"I doubt that it was a coincidence." Artemis replied, "Though I'm not sure how it would directly correlate to the historical records of Nehellenia."

"Historical records? This sounds more like a fairy tale than anything." Nephrite intoned dryly.

"We studied Nehellenia and her magic after the costly battles had ended and we recorded our findings." Artemis answered evenly, "With great danger to herself Queen Serenity used the power of the _ginzuishou_ to defeat Queen Nehellenia. As punishment for her vanity she was sealed within her own mirror, only able to look out and never able to see her own reflection again. Queen Serenity cast the mirror into the darkness of an eclipse and prophesied that Nehellenia could only return in the darkness of another similar eclipse."

"You're saying it's possible she has returned?" Endymion asked with obvious worry.

"Possible, yes, but highly improbable." Artemis answered, "No eclipse of the proper magnitude has occurred since then and we never discovered the source of Nehellenia's dark power."

"The voice in the mirror." Jadeite said.

"Precisely. We believe that the entity, creature, or whatever it was that lent its power to Nehellenia is now the driving force behind the might of the Dark Kingdom."

"But why?" Makoto of Jupiter asked, "What is it?"

"That, unfortunately, we do not yet know." The Grand Magus answered with a slump of his shoulders, "But we felt the implications of these discoveries must be understood despite our incomplete research. If what we have found is true it means the Dark Kingdom may be much older than we know."

My Master Endymion rose from his chair and firmly grasped Artemis' hand and said: "You have done us a great service, my friend. You as well, Zoisite; knowing your enemy is a crucial element of any ongoing struggle and these revelations will no doubt serve us well."

"Our research of Nehellenia's power helped us develop some defenses against it." Artemis added, "I'm sure we would be able to adapt our findings to help your soldiers should they face the Dark Kingdom in the future."

"And we still have much work ahead of us." I told my Master, "I'm sure we will discover even more about the Dark Kingdom that we can use to bolster our defense against them."

"With any luck we can discover the source of their power and attack it directly." Kunzite strategized ahead of us.

And suddenly the presentation was at an end and conversations began to emerge between Senshi and Shitennou. I joined my Master along with Artemis and Ami and we discussed many topics relating to our research. For once in the course of the last few days I felt my stress diminish. I was back doing one of the things I loved and the fact that it would help us better prepare against any future incursion from our great enemy only increased my fervor to get back to work. The thought of being able to work with an intelligent mind such as Ami was also a significant contributing factor, but that is a story to be told on its own terms.

* * *

Nephrite's personal chambers were usually the very pinnacle of ordered cleanliness. He expected it from his crew in the days of his seamanship. He expected it now from his contingent of cavalry. However, for the last few days his quarters had fallen into chaos. Chairs were overturned and clothes were strewn about the floor intermingled with star charts, sextants, damaged telescopes and empty wine bottles. Nephrite sat on the edge of a stool staring through the eyepiece of a large telescope up at the night sky. His hand flew across the page of a journal as he recorded the movement of the stars. Every so often he would reach for a bottle of red wine and take a swig, never taking his eyes off the heavens. Between strokes in his notebook his hand would rest atop the jade stone; his token from the voyage to Acheron. It glowed brightly at his touch, but Nephrite's focus was elsewhere.

Star-gazing was Nephrite's hobby before our perilous voyage that led him past the brink of his humanity. It became his mystic creed in the time following our return. However, after that day of battle against the Dark Kingdom when Thetis threatened us with oblivion and the Golden Crystal banished her foulness star-gazing became Nephrite's single-minded obsession. He hid his addiction well during the day as he could do little but sort through the mountains of notes he had taken, but at night he watched and wrote. He took little rest and his trite manner of conversation became much more so because of it.

When his eyes finally tired of the strain of squinting through the looking-glass he leaned with his back against the door frame and studied his notes. The movement of the stars predicted certain outcomes, he would tell us, and other times they could advise in times of need. What Nephrite had never before contemplated was that the stars themselves could _tell us_ what to do, but as he studied the paths the stars took through the heavens he began to work out a complex message. Not complex in substance, but complex in the way it was so cleverly hidden in the heavens such to the point that no one but Nephrite could decipher it. He dropped to his knees and drew on the wooden floor of his chambers with a lump of charcoal tracing out patterns; latitude, longitude, wind speed and current. The last image he drew was of a compass rose and he let out a surprised gasp.

The information was incomplete. The stars were still retaining the secrets needed to complete his mystic message and with a grunt of aggravation he sat down at his stool again and continued gazing up into the vast swirling Milky Way. The stars told everything in time, he would say, and in time the message would arrive in full. From what he had gathered so far, however, he knew for a fact the stars were pointing him in a certain direction: North.

Whatever it is the stars were going to tell Nephrite to find, he was certain he would find it in the North.


	18. Chapter 14, Unexpected Pairings

**FOURTEEN**

**Unexpected Pairings**

Princess Rei's father, the King of Mars, was dying. He had suffered at the hands of a grave illness for many months, but despite the protests of healers and alchemists he continued to perform his regular state duties until finally the exhaustion of the fever robbed him of his strength. As the disease ravaged him he withered to a mere skeleton. A once strong, unshakable man, he was reduced to a powerless invalid whose brittle bones could no longer support his emaciated body. Although it pained Rei greatly to see her father in such a state, she informed Endymion of her intention to return to her home planet to perform last rites on her father. However, a secondary request to take Jadeite as her guest was truly bewildering.

When Jadeite went before Endymion with the request, Princess Rei and the Shitennou in attendance, my Master was apprehensive. It seemed Jadeite, though fluent in his words, was nearly as shocked as we all were to hear of such an unprecedented invitation. In ages past when the worlds of our solar system were not so distracted by intrigue and prejudices humans from every planet traveled freely among them. However, since the end of the last great age, the Golden Millennium that I spoke of, no Earthling had set foot on Mars. The Martian borders were closed and their astral gates had their power siphoned away. Many generations passed and undoubtedly the Martian society had evolved beyond what we on Earth had recorded in our history books. The implications of one of our people, a Shitennou no less, visiting Mars after more than a millennium were vast, especially in the face of the forthcoming negotiations with the Silver Alliance. Perhaps such an invitation, despite its solemn purpose, could be viewed as a gesture of goodwill from the people of the Red Planet.

"Princess, would you approach?" Endymion asked and the Martian heiress moved forward to stand before the unadorned marble throne on which my Master rarely stat if it could be avoided, "I wish that I could give my permission to release Jadeite without hesitation, but I find I must ask why? You've been in our company for little more than a week. Jadeite has duties to attend, especially involving reconstruction efforts. Why choose him?"

The Princess hesitated for a moment, but answered firmly: "We have only spent some time together, it's true, but in that time he has shown me that there is much more to your people than the hasty assumptions made by past generations. I feel as a gesture of faith in our coming negotiations that I offer repayment in kind; consider it a cultural exchange between our two peoples."

Endymion leaned forward and steepled his fingers together under his chin and regarded the unlikely pair with a questioning gaze. Rei stood before him with her violet eyes almost pleading which, despite his few short encounters with the princess, he did not expect. Jadeite stood a few steps behind her with his hands clasped firmly at his sides. His collar was straight, his uniform jacket pressed and the jeweled studs and boots polished to a mirror-shine. Even a passing servant could have deduced that he was trying to make a positive impression.

"Master, this is an opportunity for us to rebuke the beliefs of so many who view the Earth as an untamed, savage world." Jadeite plead his case, "By accepting this invitation we would show the members of the Silver Alliance that we are committed to these treaty accords and that we stand ready to be an active, contributing member of this solar system."

"Kunzite?" Endymion asked his eldest advisor.

"I believe this is an opportunity I would readily seize if not for our current predicament." The chief Shitennou answered, "There is much work still to be done on _this_ planet."

"Zoisite?"

I advised my King: "We do have much work ahead of us, but our relations with the Silver Alliance have always been strained. An act of faith is an act of faith, and those should not be squandered."

"Nephrite?"

"I can see the merits of both arguments." He replied dryly, "But I do not believe either choice would affect the ultimate outcome of our negotiations with the Silver Alliance."

Endymion puzzled over the decision for several long moments. I felt empathy for Rei who doubtless wished for a hasty resolution to her request as time was against her. Jadeite bowed his head slightly and studied the scrollwork on the white stone floor waiting for our Master's decision.

"Jadeite." Endymion spoke and the young Shitennou straightened immediately, "Very few people travel beyond the Earth these days and one of our own has not set foot on Mars in many ages." He stood from his throne and clasped Jadeite by the shoulders. A wink accompanied his next statement: "Represent us well, my trusted friend. If I hear of any of your infamous misdeeds I will lock you in chains myself upon your return."

Jadeite smiled and squeezed onto one of Endymion's shoulders as well. The King then turned to Princess Rei and said, "Princess, I offer my condolences during this difficult time. If you are ready to depart make haste to the astral gate. I am sorry to have kept you this long already."

"Thank you, my lord." The Princess respectfully offered and together Jadeite and the Martian left the throne room. Two armored honor guards followed a distance behind.

"Well that was unexpected." Endymion stated as he took a seat on his throne again.

"We should have made arrangements for a full entourage to accompany Jadeite." Kunzite said as he glanced worriedly down the corridor.

"I doubt that would have gone over well." Endymion replied.

"And you trust Jadeite to represent the integrity of the whole planet?" the elder Shitennou asked with a dismissive snort.

"I'm more worried about what the Princess would do to him if he tried to pull one of his stunts." My Master answered with a worried grin, "He is attending what amounts to a funeral after all, I believe even Jadeite would know to show a measure of restraint."

"Do you think she has a motive behind this?" I asked suspiciously, "Martians are well-known for their subtlety and subterfuge."

"Perhaps they were many ages ago and that assumption has been passed down to us." Endymion said with insight, "But in all the time that has passed who knows how the people of Mars have changed?"

"It may not be for the better." Neprhite chimed in.

"Possibly." Endymion sighed, "But I'm hopeful Jadeite will return with enlightenment for us all. We are overdue for a turn in our fortunes."

"Master." Kunzite stepped up and asked a question we all had on our minds, "The Senshi?"

"Trust me, Kunzite, I already know what you're thinking." Endymion said and traced his palm from his forehead down to the back of his neck, "Now that we know the princesses and the Senshi are one in the same, the implications are clear."

"You mean the implication that Queen Serenity wouldn't trust you all to behave with us if we weren't Senshi?" asked the Siren voice of Princess Minako.

The golden goddess walked into the chamber, unannounced, uninvited, and possibly unwelcome in light of our current topic. She wore a fine, ornate outfit as usual including a metallic ginger skirt which was slit up the center and pulled back to display as much of her shapely legs as possible. I wondered briefly if she possessed any garments that weren't designed for maximum voluptuousness. She walked with all the grace and authority of a queen herself and stood in front of Endymion, very near to Kunzite who sidestepped away slightly. She did not bow, curtsey, or so much as nod.

"Princess." Endymion said as he folded his hands together and leaned forward, "Or is it Sailor Venus? What am I supposed to call someone who has so many names?"

"Minako will suffice." She answered, "Honestly Endymion, what bearing does our being Senshi have on any matter before us?"

"_King_ Endymion does not need to explain himself to you!" I interjected with broiling anger, "You will show respect to my Master in this place, Senshi or not!"

"Zoisite…" Endymion eased me with a raised hand and then addressed Minako, "The Senshi. The Princesses of the Solar System. Such titles and responsibilities are not mere coincidence, not to me at least. I do not know why, but I find myself wondering this: If such a secret like that can be kept, then what other secrets does this Silver Alliance hold?"

"Are you saying you don't trust us?" Minako asked incredulously, "We, who serve at the right hand of Queen Serenity?"

"I'm saying I don't like being kept in the dark!" My Master bit back, "I don't like secret messages being passed under the very noses of me and my Shitennou. I don't like that hundreds of my loyal soldiers were slain by Thetis when the Senshi could have routed the Dark Kingdom and held her at bay from the start."

"We did not intervene because we felt you would be able to adequately defend yourselves, as you have so adamantly declared in the past." Minako returned, "But not even we were prepared for what Thetis displayed in terms of power. We broke many rules and protocol to take the field at all."

"Rules that we will be privy to us should these treaty negotiations ever take place?" Endymion asked smugly and took both Minako and Kunzite into his gaze, "Tell me, are their rules governing the advances you've been making on your hosts? Are there Senshi guidelines for romance with prospective allies?"

"What?" The Princess snapped.

"Master?" Kunzite asked very poorly feigning ignorance.

"Please Kunzite, I know that you two have been seeing _a lot_ of each other." Endymion replied and glared at Minako, "Frankly I'm wondering if your tryst will have any bearing on our negotiations if, as you say, they ever do take place?"

"Tryst?" Minako fumed and her hands clenched at her sides, "I believe Kunzite is old enough to make his own decisions, _Master_." She spoke the word mockingly and glared at the three remaining Shitennou in the room, "And I can assure you our personal interaction is wholly separate from the work ahead of us."

Endymion opened his mouth to answer, but Minako cut him off: "And furthermore, if such things are of great importance in these matters, I believe my Queen would be very anxious to know her daughter was placed in mortal peril by a Dark Kingdom attack and why? Because she secretly stole away with Endymion, alone into the woods, for what purpose I note that no one has bothered to ask."

Of course the Shitennou were well aware of our Master's secret infatuation with the Moon Princess, but we turned our eyes to him all the same, as if we were hearing this shocking news for the first time. Endymion chewed on the inside of his lip, his eyes steeled, and he nodded very slightly. His bluff was called and for once, which was rare, he didn't have the hand to back it up.

"Endymion, we all agreed to take counsel together and strive for peace." Minako said and approached to stand toe-to-toe with my Master, "It doesn't matter that we are Senshi. The ends justify the means, they say. Our goal is the same."

"If our goal is the same then so should be our approach." Endymion wisely noted, "You and I have traded barbs in the past, Mina, but neither of us will profit from it here."

"Trust us." She said simply, "Senshi or not, we were sent by Serenity. We want this, Endymion. We want to stand united. We want to work together and prosper. There's no reason for us to waste any more time; as soon as Rei returns from her father's side these negotiations need to start."

"Agreed." He replied.

To that the three remaining Shitennou voiced unanimous agreement and with no other business to attend we departed the throne room which Endymion was also anxious to leave. He was eager to return to the rebuilding efforts at the city's demolished gate-house, ever leading by example as was his preferred method. As we all made our way out I overheard a conversation between Minako and Kunzite:

"So I'm a means to an end, eh?" the elder Shitennou asked with a bit of a growl.

"If that end involves dinner, dancing, and another night of _interrupted_ sleep." She cooed back.

"Must you?" Kunzite heaved a sigh and looked around worriedly.

"Come on, that cat's already out of its bag." Mianko chirped, "Endymion knew from the start."

"That doesn't mean I want the rest of Elysion to know…"

"Oh, but why Kunzite?" She pouted and faked sniffling, "Are you ashamed to be seen with me?"

What Kunzite said, sweetly, and I swear, was: "Only insofar as I already have enough people in this city who hate me and for us to be seen together would turn the whole of Elysion to jealousy."

She must have been overly satisfied at his answer if her girlish squeal was any indication. I cringed inwardly at the sound of their lips smacking and hurried my pace out of the hall. Today, as yesterday, I was to join the Grand Magus Artemis in the laboratory where we conducted our studies on the Dark Kingdom. I found the door to the laboratory cracked open slightly which was unusual as Artemis insisted on a strictly controlled environment in which to conduct our work. He fashioned a magical locking cantrip on the door to keep unwanted visitors out as well, but with the door propped slightly open it was useless.

I entered the lab and was assaulted by the telltale scents of alchemy: sulfur, iron, smoke and a myriad of other less than savory odors care of the preservative fluids used to suspend organic samples. Two large tables sat in the middle of the room strewn with books, papers, candles, and a variety of tools. Racks along the walls held jars of multicolored liquids and powders; some held parts of animals used for various alchemical recipes. Still more shelves contained a small library's worth of tomes and scrolls; many glass jars and accessories as well. There was a fire burning and a potion bubbled away over top of the flames, held by a brace, but I did not see my companion. I moved further inward and suddenly, with a start, a small white cat leapt up onto one of the tables and eyed me suspiciously. I was surprised to see the feline which bore a small mark on its forehead, possibly a scar or birthmark, in the shape of a crescent moon.

What surprised me even more was this: as I watched the cat grew exponentially in size and shape, taking on the proportions of a man in mere seconds. Its entire body distorted and in place of a cat there now stood the Magus Artemis. He glanced at me with a curious grin and climbed down off the table with an almost nervous chuckle.

"I confess to confusion." I stated frankly.

"A talent of my people." Artemis replied and scratched behind his ear, "We can take the form of any creature we choose. I came across an entry on these 'cats' during my research and felt an odd appeal about them."

"You don't have cats on the Moon?" I asked suspiciously.

"No. In fact there is very little life on the moon aside from her people." Artemis said with an edge of regret, "Our gardens perhaps, but they grow only by the power of our Queen. If not for her, the Moon would be as barren as one of your deserts, and as cold as space itself."

I felt somewhat chilled by the statement and replied, "Then being here on the Earth must be a rare opportunity for you to study such an abundance of life."

"If only I were here for indulgence's sake." Artemis answered and glanced around as if wondering where to begin, "I believe we—"

He was interrupted by a light tapping on the door frame. I cocked my head to see Ami standing there with a repressed, but still easily noticeable excitement about her. Artemis clapped his hands together and stood by my side.

"Ah, Princess!" He greeted her with a respectful bow, "Is there something we can help you with?"

"Actually, I'm here to help_ you_." She replied matter-of-fact, "Did Zoisite not inform you?"

"No… he casually let it slip his mind, I assume." Artemis said and offered a very slight jab with his elbow.

"Well, last night after the presentation Ami and I were having a conversation and I decided a perfectly brilliant intellect like hers should not go to waste." I answered, "Welcome, Ami. I'm glad you came."

"As am I." She said and I could have sworn I saw her wink at me.

She entered the laboratory, almost pushing past us to get a better look at the space she would be inhabiting for the foreseeable future. This morning she was wearing a rather simple outfit as far as the usual attire of these princesses were concerned: high-topped boots with a pair of off-white pants and a simple, pale cotton shirt which despite appearing casual and comfortable was nonetheless form-fitting. It was the first time I took notice to Ami's physique and she, along with the rest of the princesses I realized, were in absolutely perfect shape. I realized further it was a shape that appealed to me and before I knew it I was staring.

"I hope you don't mind I brought a few things along." Ami told us and unrolled a satchel on the table containing various precision implements which were all unfamiliar to me. She pulled a small velvet pouch out of her pocket and inside was a pair of wire-framed crystal spectacles. Such looking-glasses were extremely rare on the Earth, reserved for the wealthy and privileged, many of whom did not require them. She perched the glasses on the tip of her nose as she continued inspecting the laboratory and the sight of her made the hair on my neck stand straight.

Artemis' face slowly crept into my vision from the side and he asked, "Are you alright?"

"Yes. Fine." I answered, trying to shake some composure into myself, "Thank you."

The Grand Magus eyed me suspiciously and a sly smirk drew across his face. He quickly gathered up his long frock coat and a large wooden chest with a handle. He strode quickly to the door and bowed gracefully again.

"If you don't mind I'm going to take a few samples from various areas around the city." Artemis told us hurriedly, "Zoisite, if you'd just like to pick up with yesterday's experiments?"

"Oh! Uh, of course." I stuttered in reply.

"And Princess, I trust you to keep an eye on him!" Artemis called playfully and Ami replied with a smile and a nod. With that he slammed the door to the laboratory and shuffled off down the hallway leaving me alone to deal with my sudden apprehension of being so close to Ami, her glasses, and her previously unknown ability to completely pervert my composure.

"It looks like you two were working on some sort of plan to counter the youma with fire?" Ami asked as she scanned Artemis' research notes, oblivious to my predicament, "We noticed fire had little effect on them; some of the youma fought even while fully engulfed in flames."

It took me a moment to answer, still somewhat bewitched, "The fire. Yes, well… I don't believe it's been—I mean, I think their tolerance to it is higher. They seem to be purposely made to resist it."

"Perhaps, but fire is a powerful weapon, one of the greatest the men of Earth have at their disposal." She answered and pushed her glasses back up the length of her slender nose. I bit the corner of my lower lip, "If we could create some sort of compound that burns hotter than anything else you've got we might be able to make that weapon formidable again."

Wasting no time she quickly gathered jars and canisters together to aid the experiment. At one point she stopped and reached up to her shoulders to the laces that connected the sleeves of her shirt. She undid the knots and removed the sleeves, baring the pearl-white skin of her arms. One of the sleeves she laid aside, the other she used around her head to tie up her aqua hair. My heart was beating so hard and fast I'm sure she could hear it.

I was not used to women. It was decided in my mind at that moment. First I was wrangled in by Sailor Venus, used as bait in a grander pursuit of which I knew too much and cared far less. Then came the intense, if enigmatic few moments I spent speaking to Setsuna in which I felt almost drunk by her enchanting presence. Now there was Ami. Even though we had spoken several times in the few days she and her fellow Princesses were among us I now felt as unprepared and tense as if we were meeting for the first time. I silently affirmed to myself that I was a novice when it came to any sort of intimate relationship and now, struggling with the fact that I was obviously attracted to Ami, I started to doubt my ability to continue functioning properly in light of my shortcoming. _Shortcoming_. I thought of Kunzite's bold confession the day before and chuckled.

While I was busy distracting myself with these thoughts Ami noticed I was awkwardly staring at her. "Is something wrong?" She asked me.

"Uh…"

"Oh, right, this." She said and motioned to her makeshift headband, "It's going to get hot in here."

She grabbed her other, discarded sleeve and handed it to me without a second thought. The fabric lay in my hand, caressing my palm, with a scent of blueberries. This was ridiculous. A Shitennou doesn't bother with such distractions as hormones. For the life of me I couldn't understand why I was suddenly feeling as jittery and pensive as a pubescent teenager. There was none of Jadeite in me, no outward romantic exuberance, I had no idea what was going on. Chemicals and emotions within me were beginning to clash and disabled the more logical functions of my brain. I quickly stuffed the cloth in my pocket and spun around to face the door.

"Maybe I'll just go change into something lighter." I said uneasily and fumbled with the bolt which would not unlock. I struggled with the door for a good while, making an absolute fool of myself.

"Oh no."

Ami heard me mutter those words and asked, "What is it?"

I hadn't realized it earlier when Artemis made his hasty exit. The door to the laboratory was open when I first arrived. The locking cantrip the Grand Magus had cast on the door was inactive. When he closed door on his way out the magical seal reactivated itself. It was locked from both inside and outside and Artemis had not yet taught me the counter-spell to release the cantrip. I felt beads of sweat, not from the fledgling alchemy on the table behind me, but from my own neglected, inexperienced, frustrated urges.

"We're locked in."

* * *

Rei was practically running towards the Astral Gate and Jadeite was struggling to keep pace with her. "Rei!" he shouted and nearly stumbled over the coat of his dress uniform which was draped over his arm, "Damn it, Rei! Wait!"

She spun around and daggers greeted Jadeite from her eyes. She let out a frustrated sigh and began moving again, slower. Jadeite regarded the back of her head with indecision and sprinted to her side.

"Something funny occurred to me." Jadeite began, almost sure that Rei wasn't listening, "Just a few days ago I couldn't even get you to look at me, let alone consider spending time in my company, and now I'm to travel to Mars as your personal guest."

"That amuses you?" She asked distantly.

"You mean it doesn't amuse you?"

"My father is dying." The Princess responded coldly, "My mother is advanced in years and she will follow him soon. Then the rule of Mars will pass to me. This is no time to be amused."

"On the contrary." The Shitennou replied, "I find in times like these a little levity is the only thing that bars the way to succumbing completely to despair and stress."

"I am quite capable of dealing with this situation without having to laugh like an imbecile."

Jadeite stopped in his tracks and grabbed Rei's wrist, roughly spinning her around to face him. She nearly stumbled over the length of her gown, but caught herself with a hand on Jadeite's chest, which she promptly removed as she ripped her arm out of his grasp. She tried to turn away again, but Jadeite grabbed her by the arms and pinned them to her sides, forcing her to face him again.

"Don't touch me!" she screeched at him.

"Too late for that." Jadeite said calmly and relaxed his hand slightly, "I know you're going through a lot right now, but you were the one who asked me to come on this trip, so the least you can do is show me a little courtesy and tell me _why_ exactly I'm tagging along."

"I thought this is what you wanted, to spend time with me." Rei answered him slyly, "Or are you really just the lecher I first thought you to be and only wish to conquer my body?"

"My, you are efficient with your insults, aren't you?" Jadeite asked through gritted teeth, "Imbecile and a lecher within the span of a few words. You may have been able to creep past Endymion's periphery with that 'cultural exchange' nonsense, but I am not stepping through that Gate with you until I know firmly what I'm going to find on the other side."

"What you'll find?" she asked him with a scoff, "A full Martian phalanx with broad shields and sharpened spears. You'll be dragged to our deepest dungeon and tortured for all your secrets, force-fed our most fiendish poisons, and jabbed full of holes until the man you were is just a ruddy stain on a cobblestone floor."

"You'll notice I'm not laughing." Jadeite scowled at her. In another moment he probably would have been.

"Is it so difficult for you people to trust?" Rei asked in a somewhat softer tone, "You give your heart and soul freely to Endymion, but every stranger that passes in your midst might as well be one of the Dark Kingdom's youma."

"Princess, I don't presume to know you well enough, but few people I've encountered have proven themselves worthy of a fraction of the trust I place in my Master." Jadeite told her, "I've scarcely known you for a week, the majority of which I've spent fighting a war and being impaled on your words. Now even to a man like me who tends to hopefulness, blind as it can be, this whole thing seems damned irregular."

Rei regarded him for several moments, seemingly bemused while at the same time agitated. She said to him: "The day we sparred, when I fought you as a Senshi, it was in many ways a day of reckoning for me. What you showed me, how easily you defeated me—For the first time since I was a young girl just learning the ways of war, I felt vulnerable. I had to admit to myself there are things I don't know. It's not something that comes easily for me."

"I see."

She shook her head and continued: "But I also learned something about _you_ that day. I learned what kind of life could have bred such power and intuition. I learned that the legendary Shitennou, for all their great deeds and tales were still Men. I felt it was my obligation after what I learned from you, that you should learn something, in turn, from me and my people."

Jadeite stood blinking for a moment as he took in her words. This was no simple cultural exchange, this was something much deeper. Jadeite knew his illusions and phantasms in his duel with Sailor Mars would give her something to think about, but he never expected his 'lesson' would have such an impact. Rei did not simply intend to show Jadeite the sights of Mars, regale him with stories of epic battles, and impart some manner of wisdom. She intended for him to experience something profound and he was not sure it was in his best interest. Still, the thought was provoking.

"Well." He said and released her shoulders from his grip, "What are we waiting for?"

Rei smiled at him, her thin, almost imperceptible smile, and they continued towards the Astral Gate again, side-by-side. Within moments the chilled, static air of the Gate surrounded them preparing to whisk them into the twisting nether that stretched between the planets. Jadeite had never traveled via the Astral Gates before and briefly wondered if he would emerge whole on the other side. The columns and stone of Elysion faded from view, replaced with a new, alien landscape and Jadeite became the first Man to set foot on Mars since the ancient days of the Golden Millennium in the long-distant past. As the rust-hue world focused in his vision he silently prayed he would not be the last.

* * *

Nephrite worked in darkness even in the middle of the day; it was conducive to his study of the stars. Oil lamps and candles burned all around his study, but the shades were drawn and the seams around the doors were sealed to prevent any natural light from entering. He scribbled furiously on a parchment as he checked and re-checked notes he had taken over the past few nights of star-gazing. The rough charcoal diagram he had drawn on the floor of his room was now fading and muddled, but it could still be seen, especially the compass rose with its hasty axis pointing unmistakably north. Nephrite reached across his messy table to grab a simple clay goblet of wine, but knocked it over and spilled its contents over his charts and notes.

"Damn it!" He cursed loudly to himself as he attempted to salvage the wine, not so much his painstakingly recorded journals.

There was suddenly a knock at his chamber door and he barked for the visitor to enter as he refilled his wine and took a long swig. The door swung open and sunlight spilled in from the hallway, nearly blinding the star-gazer. He winced and turned away, almost spilling his drink again.

"Come in and shut the door." He ordered roughly.

His visitor obliged and slowly slid the door closed with an audible clack of the latch. As Nephrite's eyes refocused to the dull glow of his candle-lit chambers he saw the young woman standing before him was Makoto, the Senshi/Princess of Jupiter. She glanced around his dark and disheveled room quizzically before raising her large green eyes to meet his.

"Something on your mind, Princess?" He asked, noticing her confused expression.

"Only the nature of this meeting." She answered him, "An anonymous message from a palace attendant told me to come here and meet someone in a matter of great importance."

"Great importance, indeed, and I am glad that you've come." Nephrite replied and ushered her towards his paper-strewn desk to view his current notes and calculations, "I need your help."

"I don't believe I wish to give it." Makoto replied firmly and turned to leave.

Nephrite rushed out of his chair in front of her and put his back to the doorway, blocking her exit. The Princess narrowed her eyes and clenched a fist which Nephrite took quick notice to and attempted to diffuse the situation. The Princess noticed Nephrite's hand dart to his pocket where he removed a small green stone and began rolling it around absentmindedly in his hand, possibly as a way to concentrate she assumed.

"Please don't judge these circumstances too hastily." Nephrite pleaded, "But out of everyone here in the palace I felt you were the only one I could trust with this knowledge."

"Trust?" She asked him, "I don't know you, sir, and you don't know me! I don't wish to be trusted in clandestine efforts, nor do I wish to learn your secret knowledge."

"When we fought against Thetis I saw in you a kindred spirit." Nephrite told the reluctant princess, "Even against her powerful magic you resisted. You're stronger than the others and more determined and that is why I feel you're the only person who can help me now!"

"I don't understand." She replied, somewhat more relaxed, "What you're doing here appears to be some sort of astrology, but I don't possess such skills."

"It's a skill easily learned." Nephrite said and moved away from the door, laying his hands on Makoto's shoulders, "Princess, you have come here to strive for peace with us. If I do not complete my work _soon _there may never be a chance for peace again."

"I suggest you ask my friend Ami to help you, she has experience in these scientific areas that I lack." The princess still refused.

"But not your strength!" Nephrite replied forcefully, "Not your ambition! I have seen it, Princess! I know you cannot leave a loose end untied! I _need_ you! For the sake of the Silver Alliance, I need someone with your courage to help me!"

"I …" she stuttered, "I don't even know what you want me to do!"

"I will show you what to do." Nephrite said and smiled. He led her by the hand to his desk and presented a small purple phial of liquid, "First you must drink this."

"I beg your pardon?"

"It's an elixir I have specially prepared for myself." He told her, "It will illuminate your eyes and help them adjust to the dim light."

Makoto regarded the potion with suspicion, even more so when she pulled out the cork and was met by its revolting aroma. Still, against her better judgment she slurped down the contents of the phial and tossed it aside with a shudder. Nephrite smiled and squeezed her arm reassuringly. That small jade stone in his hand began to glow with a strange inner light. She coughed several times, commenting on how awful the potion tasted and Nephrite chuckled.

"I, uh…" she said groggily, "I'm not sure this is w- working. Everything is… darker…"

"Looks like it's working perfectly." Nephrite growled under his breath.

Within seconds Makoto swooned. Nephrite caught her in the air and carried her to his bed. The young princess moaned slightly in her delirium, still trying to fight off the sedative. Nephrite couldn't be sure if she was completely unconscious, but assumed she would be soon enough. He had concentrated the elixir to the point that it would have put a whole herd of stampeding cattle to sleep. He worked quickly to bind her hands and feet with specially prepared bits of rope. Finally, he rolled up the sleeve of her shirt and felt for a blood vessel. He pricked the skin of her arm with a needle and drew a drop of blood into another glass vial. The liquid inside reacted with the blood in a kaleidoscope of colors and Nephrite smiled.

"Mister Skinner." The Shitennou called with a tone of dark satisfaction.

Out of the shadows stepped a diminutive man, the very same lieutenant who had sailed on the _Gemini _during the fateful voyage to Acheron. His arm-length blunderbuss was still strapped trustworthily to his side. Mute as before, Nephrite's loyal lieutenant nodded grimly.

"Make ready the ship to sail." Nephrite ordered as he began gathering charts, journals, and other materials into a large traveling satchel, "Work quickly. Speak to no one."

Skinner nodded again and disappeared back into the shadows he emerged from. Nephrite continued his preparations and dismounted his telescope from the tripod near the window. He smashed the instrument over his knee as if he were breaking a branch. He discarded the pieces on the floor and then turned towards the unconscious Makoto again to make sure she was still there. He grinned again and threw on his neglected captain's coat over his clothes. He buckled his twin cutlasses around his belt and slung his satchel full of star-gazing paraphernalia over one shoulder. He moved to the bed and worked his arm around Makoto's slim waist, hoisting the unconscious girl over his other shoulder.

"You should be thankful, princess." Nephrite said with a cackle, "I don't usually take passengers with me on my voyages."

With that Nephrite walked backward into the deep shadows of his room and was gone, taking the helpless Princess of Jupiter along with him.


	19. Chapter 15, Fire & Ice

**FIFTEEN**

**Fire & Ice**

Sweat was stinging my eyes as it poured off me, literally gathering in puddles wherever I stood. Fires burned throughout the laboratory fueled by a varied array of materials, each one designed to make the flames burn hotter and brighter than the last. For all my status and power as a Shitennou I wished I possessed whatever remarkable insulation the Dark Kingdom's youma had against the heat. Ami wiped her brow occasionally from the beads of perspiration that gathered there, but otherwise seemed perfectly at ease in the scorching room.

"I once spent a week marching across a sun-parched desert with Kunzite and a contingent of his troops." I moaned, taking a long chug from a water flask, "Compared to this it was paradise."

"Compared to midday at home this is like taking a stroll through the woods on a crisp autumn day." Ami replied as she continued her work, "You know, living on the closest planet to the Sun and all."

"It seems to me like you should be more tanned." I told her and then swiftly backpedaled, "I mean, that's not to say you don't look good in your skin, I mean… you do! I mean, I find your skin very attractive."

"Really?" She asked, seemingly with only half-hearted conviction, "Just my skin?"

"No, that's not what I meant…!" I started to stutter.

She chirped a bit of laughter in my direction and said, "It's fine Zoisite, I'm just teasing you."

I was lost for a second but managed a smile. I know it wasn't the first time she'd called me by my name, but it was the first time I heard it from her when there was no one else in the room. She let her voice relax somewhat. There was less of an erect quality about her as though her proper etiquette and demeanor were only applied for functions that required it. Of course everyone was on their best behavior during such formal affairs, but I had always assumed that Ami was just naturally proper and articulate. Just from the tone of her voice I could tell she was beginning to reveal her true self.

"So, speaking of Mercury." I started, hoping to strike up something between us that didn't involve youma blood, "How do your people manage to thrive in such close proximity to the sun?"

"We used to be nomads." She told me, "Mercury rotates very slowly. One day on Mercury lasts almost half as long as one of your years. The planet's original inhabitants used to travel with the horizon, staying in the twilight area between day and night. That close to the sun not even the _ginzuishou_ could completely protect the planet."

"It's strange that a planet of renowned alchemists and philosophers are descended from a nomadic people." I responded quite intrigued, "I would think the toil of living day-to-day wouldn't allow much time for anything else."

"True, but eventually the roving tribes discovered the huge craters at the poles of the planet which are never exposed to direct sunlight." Ami continued, "Cities developed there and over time as our society evolved and our technology improved we were able to build down into the crust. Many of our people now live underground with a network of lenses and mirrors providing power and sunlight."

"Now I see where your determination and drive are born from." I complimented her, "Mercury seems to have a great history of thriving against the odds."

"Is that so?" she asked wryly, "And how do I thrive against the odds?"

"Oh, in many ways. Perhaps subtly, but you do." I said, "In your love for music despite having to give it up when you became a princess. Your attention to detail and custom, especially when keeping company with someone like Minako." She chuckled slightly at that, "And how when we first met you seemed so rapt in your duty and etiquette that I thought you couldn't do much else. How wrong I was."

"Hmm…" she thought aloud, "That's quite a compliment from a gentleman of your stature. Allow me to repay your kindness."

Ami then took a few steps back from the table and gestured for me to do the same. She extended her arms out from the side of her body; palms flared, and closed her eyes along with a deep breath. Almost instantly I felt the room grow colder as faint wisps of vapor danced from her fingertips. The glass beakers and vials fogged over and fine snowflake-like crystal patterns began to form in the corners of the larger vessels. A chilly, thin fog settled in the room and Ami breathed, more a whistle, a sigh of relief.

"Impressive." I said, and brought my hands up to rub my bare arms, "Couldn't you have done something like this a little earlier?"

"Of course!" She chirped back, "But I was enjoying watching you sweat."

Her double entendre was not lost on me and I groaned almost as I would in response to one of Jadeite's awful jokes, but suddenly the air temperature plummeted well below what Ami had done. We began to shiver violently as all the heat was literally sucked from the room. Within seconds all the moisture of the air had fallen to the ground as a fine layer of snow and every vial of liquid had frozen solid.

"What's happening?" I asked, trying to channel my own mystical abilities but unable to concentrate in the crushing cold.

"I don't know!" she shouted through chattering teeth, "There was some sort of runaway reaction. Something in here must be generating enough power for my spell to keep sustaining itself."

"We should have detected that!" I said, desperately grabbing the layers of clothing I'd earlier discarded, "Can you reverse it?"

"No." She said shakily, "Whatever is fueling the reaction is blocking my counterspell."

She turned back to the experiments we were running and started shuffling half-frozen papers around looking for an answer. She tried diligently to work through the cold which was only getting colder, but I could see her lips and fingertips starting to turn as blue as her hair.

"Ami, you need to warm yourself up." I told her, but she ignored me, "Ami!"

"I need to find what caused this; it might be the advantage we're looking for!" She shivered back.

"You're not going to be able to find anything if you're hypothermic." I told her and forced the pages from her hand, but she only swatted me away.

"I'm a Senshi. I'll be… fine." She said uneasily and took great effort to keep her voice steady.

"Ami…" I approached her gently, "You Mercurians may thrive against the odds, but not when you're frozen solid." I grabbed her frigid hand in mine, "Please."

After a few moments of weighing the options she nodded at me and laced the sleeves back onto her shirt. I helped her with the leather laces on one sleeve and under the thin cloth I could feel her convulsing against the cold. I immediately stripped my jacket off and draped it over her shoulders. Her eyes snapped to mine.

"Zoisite, no—" she started and I cut her off.

"I'll be fine." I assured her as I forced my will against the cold, "We have this thing called 'winter' on Earth."

I think she laughed slightly, but she may have just been shivering. "Come here." I said and I led us to the far side of the room. The laboratory had no windows, but I knew that one of the walls faced an open courtyard and it was about the time of day that the sun would be shining on it. It wasn't much but at least that wall would be a little warmer than the rest of the room.

We slid our backs down the wall together and I wrapped my arms around Ami, pulling her close to conserve heat. It was an act based purely out of survival instinct, but I was amazed all the same at her complete lack of inhibition. I rubbed her shoulders and her arms, ignoring my own practically numb extremities and she seemed to warm up a bit.

"Thank you." She squeaked.

I didn't reply for a few moments and just kept trying to warm her, but I asked, "How long do you think this spell is going to hold?"

"Hopefully not much longer." She answered, "But it will still take some time to disperse."

"As long as we can ride out the worst of it." I said reassuringly.

"We should call for help." She said and tried to get up, but I held her fast.

"Banging on the door is only going to sap you of your strength quicker." I reminded her, "In the cold the best thing you can do is conserve your energy. Someone will come along. Artemis will be back soon and undo that damned locking cantrip."

"We could just use a spell or two and blast the door down." She suggested ruefully.

"I can barely concentrate enough to form a sentence." I shivered, "In this state we're liable to blow up half the castle."

She laughed again turned her head to bury her nose in the side of my neck. She was so cold it felt like being stuck with a red-hot iron, but I ignored it considering I knew how she felt. My nose might as well have been in another country because only seeing it out of the corner of my eye gave me enough assurance that it was still attached to my face. She pulled away from me after a few moments. I turned to look at her and saw her huge blue eyes were already staring straight into mine.

I kissed her.

Or, she kissed me… I'm not sure.

Regardless, we kissed. No premeditation, no warning given, and no surprise on the part of either party. For what felt like an hour in spite of the crushing cold our lips became the warmest part of our bodies. Even after the spell was broken and the room returned to its ambient temperature we sat there against the wall, arm-in-arm locked in a timeless embrace. It was a moment I'll remember forever and yet one so simple as to be easily overlooked. Nothing else mattered: not the research we were doing, not Elysion, the Dark Kingdom, or the Silver Alliance. For the rest of that day the universe might as well have consisted of only the two of us in a locked room tearing away at the facades we had built up around our souls.

* * *

What immediately caught Jadeite's eye after stepping through the Astral Gate onto Martian soil were both the lack of vegetation and the sheer vastness of how far he could see. Martian architecture seemed to consist primarily of terraced buildings supported by columns built along the edges of impossibly deep canyons. The dais upon which the Astral Gate stood was built on a spire of rock that rose well above the height of most of the buildings, but in all directions he saw massive temples, causeways and aqueducts stretching hundreds of miles to the vast rusty horizon. The familiar bright blue sky of the Earth gave way to much lighter shades aqua near where the sun hung in the air and faded to tan where the sky touched land.

"Rei…" he marveled aloud, "This is _incredible_!"

"Shut up." She whispered to him out of the side of her mouth, barely moving her lips at all.

"What?" he asked in spite of the warning.

"Do not speak until we are greeted." She whispered again.

"Could've told me that before we got here…" He said, still ignoring her and inciting her ire.

Momentarily he heard the familiar clang of rattling armor as an entourage flanked by what appeared to be centurions walked up the stone stairs to the dais. Two of the guards flanked Jadeite in a defensive manner, but did not draw weapons on him. He glanced around worriedly as Rei appeared to do little to help him. Several men and women comprised the group that had arrived at the Gate including one raven-haired woman of advanced age. Her dark eyes matched Rei's and Jadeite assumed they were somehow related. Old as she was the woman was spry and alert. Many golden talismans jangled around her neck and a dress, more of a robe, of fine scarlet billowed out around her. She approached Rei, grasped her by the shoulders, and kissed her warmly on the lips. Jadeite pondered the tips of his boots.

"Rei." The elderly woman spoke in a hushed, but powerful voice.

"Mother." Rei answered back.

Rei's mother smiled and instantly the centurions relaxed their guard and stepped away as the rest of the entourage approached and greeted Rei, warmly welcoming her home. Jadeite couldn't help but feel slightly put off as he wasn't being acknowledged at all. That changed rather quickly as Rei's mother soon stepped up in front of Jadeite and eyed him with all the venom of her daughter on their own first meeting.

"And you?" She asked him while appearing to take his measure, "You are from Earth?"

"Yes, my lady." Jadeite answered with almost painful politeness, "Jadeite, of the court of King Endymion at your service. Your daughter was kind enough to ask me to accompany her to your honorable world."

"One of your kind has not stood on Martian ground since the wars that ended the Golden Millennium." The Queen of Mars told Jadeite almost accusatorily, "Have you heard the tales of those terrible battles?"

"Um… yes, I have indeed." He answered slowly, receiving no signals from Rei as to how he should answer, "They were brutal. Cost many lives. The legends say Mars was stained red with the blood of fallen soldiers."

"True enough." The Queen answered cryptically, "But it was not Martian blood that gave our planet its color…"

She left Jadeite feeling awkward, confused, and in a rare turn, intimidated. Rei's mother turned back to her and her steel-eyed gaze softened considerably.

"How is father?" Rei asked, knowing full well that she didn't want the answer.

"Resting right now." Her mother answered, "This sickness has stolen his strength, but peace will be upon him soon." She took her daughter by the hand and said, "He told me he would not give into death without you by his side."

Rei smiled and Jadeite's heart broke, "He always was very stubborn."

"Come, we will see to the needs of your guest." The Queen said as she turned, but Rei stopped her.

"No, please. I want to see father now." Rei pleaded, "And I want Jadeite to be with me."

There were several gasps from the crowd of unnamed delegates and even from the honor guard. Rei stood firm and her mother carefully weighed her request.

"I don't know if that would be altogether appropriate." She said and Rei opened her mouth to argue, but she was interrupted, "However you did inherit your father's stubborn streak."

Rei closed her mouth and smiled slightly. The Queen turned to Jadeite.

"You will come with us, please." She ordered, "You will remain in the company of my daughter and her guards. Please do not speak."

Jadeite nodded uneasily as the crowd began to move down the stairs to the stone street several stories below. The winding cobblestones twisted and turned into alleys and byways before widening into a huge courtyard of towering stone. Massive columns supported the façade of what Jadeite assumed was the Martian capitol. Statues of red marble lined the entire courtyard depicting the great leaders and philosophers of Mars' past, each holding aloft a sword, spear, or bow. Everywhere there were emblems of war and conquest. Sculptures of shields and spears adorned the columns and tapestries depicting great battles were displayed prominently.

They approached the main building which opened into a rotunda the size of Elysion's Ring of Law, but containing nothing more than a large bonfire which radiated heat and intensity, but bore no smoke. So many alien sights and sounds were barraging Jadeite's senses he wished that he could simply start spewing questions about everything he saw, but decided to honor the orders of the Martian Queen and her daughter.

They came at last to one of the adjoining buildings and found a veritable staff of healers and servants crowded in the hallway around a large ironwood door. They bowed reverently as the Queen and her entourage approached, but each wore solemn looks. The Queen ushered Jadeite and Rei forward and led them into the room beyond the door while the rest of their party waited in the hallway. Inside Jadeite was struck by the familiar scent of pharmaceuticals though it was buried under layers of jasmine which filled the room from at least a hundred scented candles. He could only vaguely discern the contents of the room: a large desk, chairs, and a large four-post bed occupying almost the entire width of the far wall. The three approached the bed where the invalid King of Mars lay fighting his final battle.

Jadeite saw a large portrait hanging above the bed of a statuesque man in silvered armor with a flowing beard, silver-gray eyes and wearing a crown of iron. He assumed it to be the King, Rei's father, a man of colossal strength and stature. The man in the bed was withered almost to the bone. His beard was scraggly and unkempt. He wore no crown and his bald head was creased with age and speckled with disease. To see so great a man in such a state was moving even for Jadeite who was a stranger in his land, but to Rei it must have been absolutely heartbreaking. He kept his distance from the bed and stood quietly with his hands folded in respect.

Rei approached her father's side and after several arduous attempts he heard the frail old man speak in a tongue he did not recognize. They spoke to each other in hushed tones in their native language and though Jadeite had no idea of what was being said he sensed the emotions of the conversation acutely. Rei, as he had known her up until now, seemed like the type of person who above all else was pragmatic and sensible, the type of person who respected much, but held nothing truly dear. His perception began to change as he felt the weight of Rei's alien words. The love she had for this man was beyond any love Jadeite had known. It was more than the love of father and daughter; it was something ancient and powerful. He was almost trancelike when Rei called for him to join her at the king's deathbed.

Jadeite approached carefully as the calculating eyes of Rei's mother kept their constant vigil upon him. The king wheezed heavily and Jadeite could not help but feel his presence was causing the decrepit old man discomfort. Not knowing the Martian protocols for such things, Jadeite decided to stoop to one knee at the side of the king's bed and respectfully introduce himself, assuming that Rei would translate for him.

"Rise, son." The king croaked in Jadeite's familiar tongue, "I ask no stranger to my world to bow to me."

"Pardon, I meant no offense." Jadeite apologized and looked to Rei for guidance who only nodded which seemed to indicate Jadeite could speak freely, "I am… honored to meet you, your grace. I truly wish our meeting occurred under better circumstances."

"It is better this way than the last time our people met." The king coughed, "Tell me of Earth, Jadeite. I wish to know how your people have fared."

"We…" Jadeite stalled, not quite knowing what the king wanted to hear, "That is to say, my Master Endymion is at the moment hosting the Silver Alliance in hopes that Earth will be admitted after so many centuries of isolation."

"Yes, but the Dark Kingdom threatens your new peace…" the king sighed and almost seemed to lose consciousness for a moment.

"How does he…?" Jadeite asked.

"Our native language is very direct." Rei explained to him, "It doesn't take long to say something, even when there is a lot to say."

"Jadeite." The king abruptly continued, "I can tell you are a man of great power and conviction. Only a man of passion akin to my own daughter's could affect her so; to bring an outsider to our world after so many years and so much bloodshed."

"Much has changed, my lord." Jadeite assured the old king, "We fight the Dark Kingdom on our own terms, without aid from the Silver Alliance. We wish to prove our integrity and commitment to preserving the peace throughout our solar system. The people of Earth are not the barbarians we once were."

"And yet you still fight." The king declared, "The people of your world have always fought. Now you fight against a force of evil, yes, to gain entry to the Alliance, but what will be left when the Dark Kingdom is defeated? How will you handle the dissidents of your own land who still hold resentment against the Moon?"

"I don't understand." Jadeite confessed.

The king smiled at him, turned to Rei and said, "You will."

Rei smiled back at her father, but it was devoid of any joy or whimsy. Their eyes met and they sat unblinking for minutes in silence. Rei's mother stood by, silent as well. Then, the king prayed. Jadeite could instinctively tell it was a prayer simply by the way Rei bowed her head as her father spoke. Martians seemed deeply spiritual and he could only assume that their warlike nature and martial prowess was inextricably linked to whatever faith was widely practiced. Then something happened that Jadeite could not have anticipated nor was remotely prepared for.

"Mother is here." Rei told her father.

"I know, child." He replied, "But your mother and I have bid our farewells."

"That's not what I mean…" Rei said with such sorrow that Jadeite's knees suddenly felt weak.

"You know that this is the right thing to do, Rei." The king told her in his weakened yet still stern voice, "Your mother can maintain the state until your duties on Earth are completed, but I have wanted you to follow me, to follow _our way_ since you came of age."

"But she is so much more experienced than I, and she—"

"Rei." Her father interrupted her, "Please. Don't make me burden you with a dying wish."

Rei's eyes welled up with tears which she forced back as best she could, but thin trails trickled down her face. Jadeite felt more uncomfortable in those moments than he could ever remember feeling. Rei caught his glance, but her face was impassive. She was shutting off her emotions as she was keen to do. Jadeite stepped out of her way when she moved to the table near the king's bed. On the table was a wooden chest, hinged, and lined with plush crimson. A straight-blade dagger was held within and Rei's slender fingers gripped the hilt without hesitation.

"Rei?" Jadeite asked her, worried.

She moved past him again to her father's side and then, gripping the dagger with both hands, held it pointed down above the king's chest.

"Rei, what are you doing?" Jadeite demanded and reached out to her.

Rei's mother intervened and caught Jadeite's wrist, forcing him away. The Shitennou had precious little time to react and began to conjure a spell of illusion to distract Rei and her mother, but he discovered that he could not form the illusion. He immediately assumed it was because he was so far from the Earth, but he was determined to stop whatever was coming.

"Jadeite, don't." Rei said and he stepped toward her despite her mother's intrusion.

"What is this?" He asked roughly, "Put the knife down."

"You do not know what you're speaking about!" Rei's mother accosted the alien Shitennou, "Your very presence in this room is an insult to generations of tradition and your interference is blasphemous!"

"Blasphemy?" Jadeite scoffed, "The only blasphemy I see is the one taking place before my eyes by the hands of your own daughter!"

"I told you!" Rei's mother turned and accused her, "I warned you against bringing one of the Earth men here. They haven't changed at all! Warmongers! I say you cannot even see past the point of your sword!"

"ENOUGH!" the weary voice of the dying king called, "Jadeite…"

The Shitennou swallowed the rebuke he had prepared for Rei's mother and walked past her with a leering stare. He approached the king's bed again and bowed down to hear him.

"There are many on my world who would feel themselves betrayed by their king if they knew you were here, now, in my last moments." The king explained to his unexpected guest, "But I see this as a chance to start anew."

"My lord…" Jadeite stuttered, utterly lost.

"I know what you see is not what you are accustomed to, but in time you will understand." The king said and again looked to Rei, "_She_ will help you understand… and perhaps then…"

The king drifted off in mid sentence and Rei stepped up anxiously, but still stoic and detached. Jadeite staggered backwards, overwhelmed and confused. Rei held up the dagger again and spoke in her native tongue. However, she soon switched and Jadeite could hear her clearly:

"This is our way, the way it must be. A life given for the lives that were taken."

She plunged the knife down into her father's chest and the dying king, already unconscious, felt no pain. His breathed his last as blood ran in rivulets down his bedclothes and onto the sheets. Rei stepped back, still emotionless and exited the room without a word. Jadeite was left with her mother who also neglected to speak, but motioned for the Shitennou to follow her out into the hallway. He obliged and found the entourage waiting for them. Rei was not among them.

"My late husband obviously saw some promise in you that escapes my sight." Rei's mother told Jadeite somewhat insultingly, but with an undercurrent of respect.

"I am… sorry for your loss." Jadeite told her, not knowing what else to say.

Her mouth twitched and Jadeite thought it may have been a suppressed smile. She said, "If you take this hallway to the end and turn right you will likely find Rei on a balcony through a set of doors. I have no doubt she will need whatever… strength… he saw in you."

Jadeite nodded his thanks and bowed slightly to the queen who led her entourage past him in silence. He found Rei moments later exactly where her mother said she would be. She was standing with her arms folded looking out over the vast rusty landscape of canyons and citadels that made up her home planet. Jadeite did not speak, he simply stood with her. After what he had witnessed he was not sure Rei would ever speak again.

"You want to know why." She said from out of nowhere.

"I'm sure you have your reasons." Jadeite offered hoping to spare her any more grief.

"Jadeite…" Rei said and the Shitennou's resolve faltered.

"Yes, Rei, you're right. I want to know." Jadeite told her, "I want to know why you brought me here. I want to know why I just stood by helplessly and watched you murder your own father. Explain that to me."

He almost slapped a hand across his mouth, but the look in his eyes was enough to let Rei know he really didn't mean to come off as sounding quite so judgmental. He bit his lip and shook his head, scolding himself internally for losing his composure.

"Rei… I'm so sorry…"

"It's expected of every ruling monarch." Rei explained taking no offense, "So it was with my father when he took the crown, and his father, and his father, all the way back to the first of my line."

"I know your people are venerated soldiers and how you pride yourself on your martial skills, but…" Jadeite paused trying to remind himself that he was in a foreign land, "But he was your father, Rei. I could see how much he meant to you."

"And that's exactly why I did what I had to do." She continued, "It's symbolic, Jadeite. It's not something that was set upon me recently; I've known this day was coming since our customs were first taught to me as a little girl."

"Amazing." Jadeite dismissed her, "You just block it all out, don't you? It must be easy to just end a life and move on, I mean, having been trained from birth to be a soldier. Your father was probably a… a decorated officer! If he was anything like me, or Nephrite, or Kunzite he wouldn't have wanted to grow old and die like this. He would've found a way to die in battle, not through a mercy-killing at the hands of his own daughter!"

"My father wasn't a soldier." Rei said, still calm and composed.

"What?" Jadeite snapped.

"There are no soldiers on Mars." She said calmly and turned towards the city below her again.

It took Jadeite a moment to respond, "What do you mean 'no soldiers?' That's impossible. There were soldiers who met us at the astral gate."

"Ceremonial honor guards who carry no weapons." Rei told her shocked companion, "Mars hasn't had an army in almost 600 years."

"But…" Jadeite tried to make sense of everything he was experiencing, "When we sparred on Earth you said you had a class. You said you were the premier swordsman in your class. You said Martian children were trained in martial arts from birth."

"They were, over 600 years ago." She answered.

"So you lied to me." Jadeite assumed out loud.

"Not necessarily," She said, "I simply allowed you to continue believing what everyone on your planet believes to be true about Mars: that we are a planet of soulless, emotionless, bloodthirsty career soldiers who are taught to kill our parents when the time comes to take their place."

"So then why—"

"As a reminder." Rei answered the question Jadeite couldn't finish, "I took my father's life as a reminder of all the lives that Mars claimed when war was all we knew."

"And this is something that every ruler of Mars has to do?" Jadeite asked.

"Yes, as far back as the ruling family reaches." Rei answered, "Do you remember that legend you and my mother spoke about? About Mars being stained red with blood?"

"Yes…" Jadeite remembered, "She said it wasn't Martian blood that stained it."

"That's because it wasn't." Rei explained and looked almost disgusted by relating the story, "It is a legend of course, but rooted in fact. When the wars broke out at the end of the Golden Millennium Mars was a battlefield. No, it was more than a battlefield. It was a slaughtering ground."

"Heavy losses?" Jadeite asked.

"No." Rei answered succinctly, "Not a single Martian soldier was killed in battle."

"That's impossible." Jadeite reacted immediately, "You can't expect me to believe that."

"You know the reputation of my people." Rei admonished him, "You don't gain the fear and respect of being the greatest soldiers in the solar system for nothing." Her expression drifted again into dark emotional territory, "The warring planets sent their armies one by one and we slaughtered them all. We could have sent agents to infiltrate them, discover their tactics and halt any advance, but we didn't… we let them come knowing they didn't stand a chance against us. We took no prisoners and let no one escape. During that hellish war no one that came to Mars ever left alive."

"What happened?" Jadeite asked, "It seems to me that Mars could have swept the other planets aside and conquered the solar system."

"You don't understand the scale of this conflict, Jadeite." Rei told him with a shake of her head, "You count battles on Earth as fought by tens of thousands. These were not armies of nations, they were armies of worlds. Tens of millions from each planet in the solar system… a total number of casualties was never calculated. Bodies were piled so high that we feared enemy soldiers might use the piles of corpses to scale over our city walls. Rivers were dammed by the legions of dead who fell in them. To think of that many dead is staggering… to see it with your own eyes, to be responsible for it… Jadeite, not even those legendary soulless Martian soldiers could live with what they had done."

She continued, "I once read the journal of one of my great ancestors who was a boy at the time of the wars. He was too young to fight and was still undergoing his training, but he was assigned to help clear the battlefields of the dead. He wrote that when he and his companions were searching the bodies of the dead they found things: letters to loved ones, locks of hair, trinkets and keepsakes and he realized that nobody on Mars had anything like that. From birth Martians were bred for battle, nothing more. They had no use for frivolous things. There were couples that procreated, of course, but not even relationships on this planet held anything beyond carnal desire. Children were not born out of love, but simply to replenish the ranks."

"After that war my people began to question their ways. They realized, like you said, that they could easily conquer the rest of the solar system, but beyond that where did their destiny lie? When every army and government lay toppled what would we have left? We knew that one day, once the rest of the galaxy lay in ruin we would eventually turn and destroy ourselves."

"Within a generation war was abolished from Mars. The barracks and training camps were converted to schools of philosophy and science. We began rebuilding ourselves piece by piece. We retained an army and militia forces, but after the Silver Alliance was established we disbanded all of our forces. I am the only person on Mars who has ever seen a battle, let alone fought in one. The martial arts we practice now provide spiritual focus and have no meaning beyond strengthening of the mind and body. We are pacifists."

"Pacifists?" Jadeite gasped at her, "That's…"

"Impossible?" She asked with a slight smile, "I know it seems like it given the stories you were brought up to believe, but it's true." She approached him and took his hands in hers, "This is why I brought you here, Jadeite. I wanted you to see our ways and experience us first-hand. I wanted you to know that for all the legends and fear that my people have grown beyond war and violence."

"But why me, Rei?" Jadeite asked, still utterly lost.

"Because on that day that we sparred I saw in you the same tendencies that nearly destroyed my people." She said, "You've known so much war that in a way it's all you know. Have you ever stopped to think about what will happen if the Dark Kingdom is defeated and the Earth enters into the Silver Alliance? You're a soldier, Jadeite, where will you fit into that new world?"

"I—" Jadeite started to answer, but realized he didn't have one. It was the first time Jadeite ever confronted that particular question and it made him extremely uncomfortable. It was true, he never did know peace. He was used to conflict and the sudden thought of a complete lack of conflict left him feeling edgy and restless.

"My father hoped that one day the rest of our solar system would follow the example of Mars, but within the Silver Alliance we are still looked upon as a questionable ally at best." Rei continued, "We're accused of sapping the resources of the Alliance. The rest of the planets believe they have to compensate for the fact that Mars no longer has a military presence and we have been trying to convince the Alliance for years to disband its armies completely, but we've been stalemated for generations."

"I guess the wounds your people inflicted run pretty deep." Jadeite mused and Rei agreed.

"Not all has been forgiven." She said, "But I'm hoping that you can help change that, Jadeite."

"Me?" He asked perplexed.

"All I ask is that when you tell your Master Endymion of the time you spent here that you explain to him why we changed our ways." Rei urged the Shitennou, "And I'm asking you to let go of whatever it is that's keeping you on the battlefield. Whether it's pride or devotion to Endymion, whatever it is, it's not worth it in the end."

"Rei, I can't just do something like that." He said feeling exhausted, "Hell, I don't even know how I'd go about it. I can barely think of what I'm going to say when I talk to Endymion. This… it's just all too much to take for one day."

"Then maybe we should stop talking about it for today?" Rei suggested, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have overburdened you with so much."

"It's all right." He assured her. They were silent for a moment and Jadeite spoke up, "Well, I suppose I will leave you to your thoughts then."

He was about to turn to leave when Rei spun around and grabbed his coat sleeve, "Don't go."

"Rei?"

"It is easy, like you said." Rei told Jadeite as tears bean to fill her eyes, "I can block most things out… but that doesn't mean the feelings aren't there." She began crying and Jadeite, not knowing what else to do, put his free arm around her and pulled her close, "I miss him so much… and regardless of tradition I—I just…"

"It's alright, Rei." Jadeite whispered as he held her, "I'm sure wherever he is he's proud of you. You held to your tradition and I know it will make you stronger."

She tried to laugh through her tears, but barely could, "You say that like you know me so well…"

"Not yet." Jadeite told her and his thoughts drifted to everything that had happened in only the short time he had been on Mars; profound, perception-changing events, "But I'm learning."

* * *

The ice in the laboratory had long since melted and the temperature returned to normal, but Ami and I were still huddled in a corner. She sat between my legs with her back pressed up against my chest and I held her around her waist as lazily as if we were reclining against a tree in the Elysian Fields on a summer day.

"Would you believe me if I told you I hadn't kissed anyone outside of royal custom in almost five years?" Ami asked and I had to smile.

"Would you believe me if I told you I've never kissed anyone like that before in my life?" I answered her question with a question, feeling somehow content to reveal to her what would in another circumstance amount to a terrible embarrassment.

"Yes." She said back quietly, not mockingly, just quietly, "There's some innocence about you. Even under all the etiquette, ceremony, power and prestige. To me it seems like life is somehow just opening up to you."

"Well, perhaps that is too grand a statement." I said, hoping to retain at least some measure of machismo, "I can recall past romances. I've entertained many women of the realm, courtesans, and nobles. But I…"

"What?" she asked noticing my halt in mid-sentence.

"I—I don't really remember details …" I sputtered, asking a question as I did, "I've never given it much thought, but now… I'm not sure what I'm trying to say."

"Well then." Ami said and suddenly shifted her body to straddle my waist, pressing her chest up against mine and bringing her lips within a hair's width of my mouth, "Let's see if we can jog your memory."

All my previous thoughts were replaced by the irresistible pleasure of Ami's embrace. Somewhere buried in the back of my mind under piles of broken rules, the threat of Endymion's wrath, and my own current barrage of emotions I knew I would have to revisit my most recent lapse in memory. But like I said, I was somewhat distracted by other events.

She practically attacked me with her lips and I felt her teeth grind through her supple flesh. Her tongue flicked wildly back and I felt compelled to react in turn. Her blue nails scratched deeply through my hair as the ponytail I habitually wore sprang loose. My hands began to move on their own, seeking out the seams of her clothing. Instinct took over, but not something primal, it was the instinct that bloomed only from familiarity. The smooth curves of her body, the touch of her skin, the tightening and relaxing of each muscle somehow felt familiar and _right_. Kissing Ami felt right; holding her in my arms felt right; making love to Ami felt right.

By the time Artemis returned to the laboratory and undid the locking cantrip that had trapped us Ami was fast asleep using my jacket as a blanket which barely covered her nude body. For some unknown cosmic reason I felt no need to hide the obvious passing of events from the Grand Magus.

"You realize we've been trapped in this room for the better part of six hours?" I asked and Artemis responded with a knowing smile directed suspiciously in the direction of the sleeping Princess of Mercury.

"Next time I'll remember to give you the counterspell." He promised me thinly, "Were you able to make any headway with our experiments?"

"Beyond the extremes of unbearable heat and frigid cold, no, not much." I answered honestly, "When Ami cast her spell to cool the room something took over, a catalyst of some kind. The spell fed off the energy and intensified tenfold."

"Hmm…" Artemis mused, "Perhaps these youma possess some innate magical properties. It would explain their facility to withstand extremes of temperature and magical energy. Perhaps we should start again with a fresh specimen?"

Before I could answer the doors of the laboratory swung open and four armored guards entered the room along with Kunzite, Endymion and Princess Minako. Their faces were grim and full of worry. Their intrusion roused Ami from her sleep, but whatever was pressing on the minds of this entourage it was far more important than why Ami was naked behind my jacket which she was holding like a curtain.

"Master?" I asked feeling a sense of anxiety.

"Nephrite is gone." He answered and my heart sank, "The _Gemini_ left port late last night without notice. Two dock workers were found dead this morning, tied up and drowned with an anchor around their feet."

"You couldn't possibly think…" I hazarded the question dreading the response.

"I don't know." Endymion confessed, "But Princess Makoto is missing as well. One of the palace attendants said Nephrite dispatched a message to the Princess to join him in his chambers last night."

"We can only assume whatever happened…" Kunzite stated with a grimace, "... started there."

"I'll go at once." I assured my Master and he nodded his agreement.

I began to gather my things when I realized Ami was still wearing my jacket. The others had left the room leaving just the two of us, but I couldn't find anything to say. It seemed like words were at a premium for both of us.

"I'm sorry." I said at last, not quite knowing what I was apologizing for, but feeling it necessary.

"I'll join you as soon as I'm, um…" she trailed off and blushed slightly, turning every visible inch of her body light red "…decent."

I felt tremendously awkward in that moment wondering if I should kiss her, make some other romantic gesture, or just turn tail and run. I had to convince myself that whatever was happening with Nephrite must take precedence. As I left the laboratory I silently cursed myself for getting involved with Ami in the first place. Perhaps if I hadn't been so distracted by my attraction to her I might have been able to sense a change in Nephrite, but all my self-analysis was for naught. Nothing, no magic or divination could have possibly foreseen what we were about to discover about our wayward companion.


	20. Chapter 16, Rats in a Trap

**SIXTEEN**

**Rats in a Trap**

The night was already falling on Mars as Jadeite and Rei sat together on a balcony overlooking the vast landscape of the rusty world. When the sun fell below the horizon the lights of the Martian cities took over and deep, twisting canals of light began to stretch across the whole of the Shitennou's vision. There was truly not a sight to equal it on Earth. It was as if the canyons and crevices of the planet were filled with snaking rivers of light. He simply sipped his wine and enjoyed what no Earth man had seen in millennia.

"I'm sorry." Rei said after having been silent for nearly an hour. She looked tired and ragged and her eyes were red from crying them dry.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Rei." Jadeite assured his grieving host.

"I was assuming that coming here and seeing our customs and the way we live would instantly convert you to our way of thinking." She told him, "It was a misguided thought and I think even selfish."

"I admit some warning would have been appreciated." Jadeite said with all seriousness, but stressing his voice not to sound jovial.

"And I'm sure sitting here for the last few hours listening to me sob has not been enjoyable for you." She said regretfully.

"It's only natural after the loss of a loved one." Jadeite reassured her.

"It's different when the loved one died by your hand…" Rei said almost vacantly and her gaze wandered.

Jadeite did not speak for several moments, but when he did he said: "I'd like to hear more."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'd like to hear more about Mars and your culture." Jadeite told the de-facto Queen of the Red Planet.

"You don't have to be polite for my sake, Jadeite." Rei said cautiously.

"It's not a pretense, Rei." The Shitennou corrected, "I'm here as your guest, but also as an ambassador of my people and, no offense, I believe you could use the distraction right now."

She laughed slightly, "What would you like to know?"

He rose from his chair and said, "Why don't we take a walk?" Rei eyed him quizzically, "Perhaps a short tour of the surrounding area? I'm sure your capitol is full of history and tradition."

"It's late." She reminded him, "None of the temples or government halls will be open at this hour."

"I might be mistaken, but you are the queen-apparent of this planet." Jadeite said respectfully, "I doubt you have to adhere strictly to the schedule of normal business hours."

"I'm just not sure it would be appropriate…" Rei trailed off.

"Princess, I know you well enough to say with certainty that appropriateness does not factor into your thought process." Jadeite said, "You brought me here to see and experience your planet first-hand. I wish to do just that."

"Why?" she asked incredulously.

"To be brutally honest, I don't know." Jadeite explained, "But I hate to be a lousy houseguest and when my host offers to educate me in the ways of her people, I am bound by honor to oblige her."

"So it's a matter of honor then?" She snubbed him off.

"No, It's—" Jadeite stalled, aggravated, "Why has this become difficult?"

"Because now I'm having second thoughts." Rei answered honestly, "I tried to change you by force, Jadeite. I don't like what you do: the fighting, the wars, and the bloodshed. As much as I want to see you live a life free of that, it's wrong of me to assume you even want to change."

Jadeite considered her words carefully. He considered everything that had happened since he arrived on the planet less than a day's length ago. He told her truthfully, "No one before you had ever introduced me to the notion that my life could be something besides what it has always been."

He continued, "It's true I've been a fighting man as far back as I can remember, but it doesn't mean that's all that there is to me. I'm afraid that you see my uniform and my sword and you think that violence permeates every facet of my life. I believe wholeheartedly in what I fight for, Rei, but as much as I have fought and as many times as I have felt invigorated by battle it's not all that I am."

"I know." Rei said almost affectionately, "I know I held it against you at the time when you used your powers of illusion on me and I fully resented being bested and lectured, but looking back on what you said I came to realize you weren't simply quoting a book of tactics. Rather, you were truly concerned about the lesson I took from that sparring match. You showed compassion along with a true hope that it would in some way better me."

"See?" Jadeite said with a wry smile, "I can be presumptuous too."

Rei looked down at the floor to hide her smile, which was cutting through her depression frequently now. Jadeite offered his hand which she took politely and got out of her chair, stretching as she did. They had been sitting in the same place for several hours.

"So, a nighttime tour of the capitol, eh?" she asked him playfully, "I might be able to furnish that request, Master Jadeite."

"Could also furnish another bottle of this fine Martian wine, Princess?" Jadeite asked as he finished off his last glass, "For the tour, of course."

"I don't think that will be any trouble at all." She responded and led the Shitennou back into the stately capitol building and down into the city below.

* * *

Never in all of my days had the thought crossed my mind that I would be called upon to search for clues as to the clandestine activities of one of my brother Shitennou. Despite it, I stood in the midst of Nephrite's uncharacteristically untidy chambers. The desk was strewn with parchments and books in no discernable organization. There were charcoal scribbling on the walls and on the floor and his telescope was smashed and scattered about the room. A plethora of extinguished candles had left a slight mist of smoke hanging in the dismal room. I drew the curtains back which had been tied shut and the light of the setting sun did wonders to banish the gloom.

"I'm not even sure what we should be looking for." Endymion said reluctantly.

"Anything could be significant." Kunzite replied.

I leafed through several of the papers littering Nephrite's desk and said, "All of this seems to be notes and measurements of Nephrite's star gazing."

Kunzite grunted at the comment in a most distasteful manner. I heard footsteps approaching in the hall and we were joined by Artemis and Princess Serenity whose ocean-blue eyes were full of worry. She remained near the doorway and did not immediately make her presence known. It was Minako who noticed her first.

"Princess!" She exclaimed, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

"Have you found anything?" She asked, her voice quivering with concern.

"Not yet, I'm afraid." Endymon told her and took the Princess' hand in his own, squeezing gently, "We're going to find her, Serenity."

"Makoto isn't going to go down without a fight." Minako reminded her, "You know how tough she is."

"There's no reason to assume there was foul play involved." I voiced my opinion, "Not yet, anyway."

"I wish there was something I could do to help." Serenity said sorrowfully, "Usually Makoto would be the first one help me with anything I needed or get me out of trouble when I screwed up."

"And I'm sure whatever happened she knows you're worried for her." Endymion stated.

Serenity nodded, though the reassuring words did little to assuage her current mood. I set down Nephrite's papers and stalked about the room looking for anything out of place which was difficult to judge considering my own unfamiliarity with Nephrite's living conditions. I knew him to be neat and meticulous, but the Shitennou rarely congregated in our personal quarters. We each had offices to serve that function as well as the many taverns and pubs we enjoyed patronizing.

"This charcoal drawing on the floor was partially erased." Kunzite said pointing at the large diagram, "You can see the scuff marks around the perimeter."

"It looks to be… a chart of some kind?" I guessed, unsure of what the scribbling actually was. I did, however pick up on a distinguishable detail, "Look there, a compass rose."

"Pointing almost due north." Minako added as she bent down to study it.

"If they're on the _Gemini_ which we have to assume then this drawing might be able to tell us what their destination is." Kunzite surmised.

"Let me try." Endymion offered, surprising me.

"Master?" Kunzite and I both asked.

"I've always been able to sense certain things, especially through touch." Our Master explained and I recalled past instances of his latent psychometry.

He knelt down near Minako and placed his hand on the wooden floorboards. He closed his eyes and traced around the perimeter of what was left of the drawing. He felt the compass rose and followed it north, taking his hand and smoothing out the smudged charcoal. As Endymion channeled his psychic reading the picture began to take shape again and a route to some distant point in the far north could be discerned. If this truly was the _Gemini's_ route then it would take the vessel straight into the seas of flowing ice at the northernmost point of the planet.

"That's amazing." Serenity noted as Endymion stood from his task. The King smiled at her and continued looking around the room himself for anything of interest.

"Artemis." I asked the visiting Grand Magus as I spied a small vial discarded on the floor, "What do you make of this?"

He picked up the vial and sniffed the container and his expression immediately soured, "Definitely organic, whatever it was. There may be a drop or two left, but not much."

"It will take some time to test it." I said, but as I did Artemis held the vial above his head and two small drops of the remaining liquid fell out onto his tongue.

"Artemis!" Minako cried and practically leapt at him, but the Magus raised a hand to halt her.

Almost immediately he seemed to swoon and had to reach out to the wall to steady himself. He shook his head vigorously and nearly gagged from the vile taste of the liquid. After a moment he regained his composure.

"Definitely a toxin." He said and shook his head again, blinking rapidly, "A sedative, in fact."

"That was rather reckless of you." Kunzite said in his customarily disapproving tone.

"My species is extremely resilient to even the most powerful poisons." Artemis announced though still somewhat groggy, "I've never been affected so strongly by anything before, though. Whatever this concoction was it would have rendered any normal man or woman unconscious for days."

"Makoto is no normal woman." Minako mused aloud and all at once the eyes of the room were upon her.

"And Nephrite is no normal man." I answered her challenge.

"No, indeed."

"But your tone suggests otherwise." I said again, "Why don't you speak plainly."

"Zoisite." Our Master said in a voice of warning.

"No, my King." Minako assured him, "Zoisite is correct. I do have reason to suspect foul play on the part of your Shitennou."

"Mina!" Kunzite gasped, stunned. Serenity's eyebrows lifted when she heard him call the Venusian Princess by her casual, shortened name.

"Consider that a ship is missing, the very ship that your compatriot used to command." Minako presented her case, "One of our colleagues is gone as well and in the chambers of the Shitennou we have discovered coordinates and a vial of a powerful sedative."

"The evidence is circumstantial." I demanded, "There is no proof here."

"You're right, Zoisite." Endymion spoke up and ended what would have been a pointless and rapidly escalating debate, "There is no proof here, but there is enough evidence to draw some conclusions."

"Such as?" Minako asked.

"Someone was taken against their will." Endymion told us motioning to the vial of spent sedative, "Whether it was the missing Princess, Nephrite, or both of them we don't know. I think we should form a search party and begin looking for the _Gemini_."

"She has almost a day's head start." Kunzite added, "And as the flagship of our fleet the _Gemini _will not be easy to catch."

"Then I suggest we leave immediately." Minako said, surprising just about everyone, "I intend to join your search."

"That's really not necessary, Princess." Kunzite tried to convince her.

"One of my closest friends and allies is missing." She rebutted him, "As much as I trust in your abilities I won't sit idly by, especially when we each have a member of our respective groups unaccounted for."

We all felt a breeze waft into the room, the unmistakable salt air breeze of the open ocean. We glanced at each other and Artemis' ears seemed to stand on end. The Magus rushed to a corner of the room that contained one of Nephrite's large bookcases and his hands traced around the edges of the shelf. He grabbed the edges of the bookcase and began sliding the shelf away from the wall as wood shuddered against wood. Books and papers fell freely. The bookcase groaned against the motion, but soon slid out of the way to reveal the wall behind it.

"What is that?" I asked breathlessly.

The wall behind the bookcase was wrong. There was a black spot or stain of some kind nearly as wide as the bookcase that previously covered it and just as tall. It was pitch black within the void. Endymion lit a candle and passed it to Artemis who illuminated the unnatural hole, but the seeping black void sucked up all the light and still nothing could be seen within it. However, listening closely we heard what seemed to be the sound of water and the creak of wood. A second breeze from within the hole confirmed our suspicions.

"Could this be a portal of some kind?" Kunzite asked the Grand Magus.

"Perhaps." Artemis said and threw his candle into the maw. The light was extinguished almost immediately, but in a moment we heard the splash of something falling into the water.

"Why would Nephrite have something like this concealed in his room?" Minako asked accusatorily.

"There is no guarantee that Nephrite is responsible." I reminded the belligerent Princess.

"Regardless of your affection for him, Master Zoisite, you cannot deny what we've seen." She told me.

"No, I can't." I answered truthfully, "I also can't explain it."

"This is not any sort of magic the people of Elysion would practice." Endymion said motioning to the black portal, "Nephrite has been interested in astrology and mysticism, but never any sorcery; at least not of this magnitude."

"I say we follow it." Kunzite suggested a bold move for the normally cautious king.

"It seems to lead to the sea." Artemis agreed with our assessment, "But to where exactly?"

"And if we go through are we assured a way to get back?" I added my thoughts.

Minako didn't wait to find out. She practically leaped for the portal and walked through, disappearing from sight instantly. I heard her muffled voice calling back to us through the portal, but it was distorted and unintelligible. Kunzite followed next and then Artemis, carrying a look of excited anxiousness went through after. Endymion and Serenity followed leaving me to enter last. As I stepped into the portal I was overcome by profound darkness. I turned around to look back into Nephrite's room, but instead I saw the great golden city of Elysion rising above me. A cool ocean breeze washed over me and I found myself standing at the city docks, normally bustling with activity during the day, but eerily quiet tonight.

"Well." Kunzite said in an aggravated tone, "Now we know why no one saw them leave."

"This dock is where the _Gemini_ was tied up." I announced.

"That's strange." Endymion said, "The two dock workers that were drowned were discovered several hundred yards from here."

"Perhaps they were killed here and moved afterward." Minako suggested.

"Two persons murdered in the open, transported halfway across the city and no one saw a thing?" Kunzite asked incredulously, "This whole situation reeks of deceit."

"You think the drowned men were meant as a distraction?" I asked attempting to piece together a sequence of events.

"Perhaps." Kunzite replied, "Someone had to have seen or heard something. There are a dozen ships moored at this wharf alone, many of them manned and only docked to take on supplies."

"We should split up and start questioning." Endymion suggested, "I'll go talk to the dock master myself."

"Zoisite, you and I will begin on opposite ends of the wharf and question every man aboard every ship." Kunzite ordered, "Minako, you may come with me if you wish."

The Princess agreed and Artemis offered his assistance to me as well and our group decided on our method of search. Endymion turned to walk away with Princess Serenity behind him past one of the buildings that lined one side of the wharf and suddenly I felt a psychic bombardment like nothing I'd ever experienced before. I have had premonitions and visions for as long as I can recall, but they come to me through chance and circumstance alone. I have no control over them. This was more a feeling of profound dread and I reacted as quickly as my body would let me. Far out at sea I heard the blast of cannon fire.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl. I sprinted forward and grabbed the trailing ends of my Master Endymion's cloak. He stopped and turned with a look of concern in his eyes as I pulled as hard as I could. My Master flew off his feet, knocking Princess Serenity over as well. Kunzite was about to shout his rebuke when the first explosion ripped though the wharf just a footstep beyond where my Master was last standing. The force of the explosion knocked all of us off our feet. The dock beneath us buckled and we fell into the churning sea. Two ships exploded next as their massive wooden frames became deadly flaming darts. We swam under the wharf in the opposite direction as shockwaves belted us from above. When we finally surfaced some distance away we saw that half the wharf was ablaze including the dock master's house, a row of tenement homes and six ships that were moored.

"What was that?" Princess Serenity cried out.

"Someone was shooting at us!" Endymion called over the rush of the waves.

We pulled ourselves up out of the water onto a nearby dock and hastily retreated up a set of cobblestone steps to the relative safety of the city walls above. We were panting, exhausted and now chilled to the bone from the sea water and cool night air. I heard no more cannon fire, indeed I heard only one shot, but one shot it seemed was enough to destroy half of Elysion's main port, thwart any immediate pursuit, and very nearly kill us all as well.

"A trap." Kunzite said what we were all thinking.

"They knew we would find that portal and follow them." Endymion coughed through a mouthful of acrid sea water, "And they knew right where to hit us."

"They fired right for the storehouse where the black powder is kept." I added.

"Zoisite, if you hadn't pulled me back…" Endymion said looking me straight in the eye.

"It's alright, Master." I said humbly, "I only wish I could have known sooner. We might have saved all the men who were not so lucky."

Teams of guards began to flood into the area a few moments after that carrying pumps and buckets to extinguish the blazing port, but I was sure many had died. Artemis was silent. I somehow though that the studious Magus had never witnessed anything like that before. The Princesses accompanying us both looked grim and especially upon the face of the usually radiant and exuberant Serenity I found it most distressing. Kunzite attempted to hide the fact that he was standing so near to Minako to offer her comfort, but his efforts were for naught.

"Kunzite." Endymion said and the chief Shitennou stood at attention, "Send a message to Mars. Get Jadeite back here as soon as possible."

"Master." Kunzite said with a bow and departed immediately.

"Let's find the fastest ship that isn't on fire." Endymion said to me, flanked by the Princesses on either side, "I want the _Gemini_ back here tonight." Endymion could see the hesitation in my eyes and I saw it in his, but he added: "Whatever the cost."

* * *

Jadeite and the Princess of Mars had been passing the hours together quietly visiting sacred senate chambers, libraries of the law, and ancient reliquaries wherein the remains of Mars' most honored prophets and kings were interred. Now they were practically staggering down dimly lit alleys laughing and joking with each other as if they were school children out long past curfew. The bottle of wine they had carried with them was running sorely low to say nothing of the bottle they'd already finished back on the balcony overlooking the city.

"What is this stuff?" Jadeite asked with a giggle as he took a swig from the bottle and passed it to his companion.

"Sandberry Wine." Rei answered and took a drink herself, "The plants grow out in the sand in the deserts."

"Sandberries grow in the sand? You don't say?" Jadeite replied and laughed out loud. He heard the shutter of a window slam above them and it only caused another chorus of joint laughter.

"Boy, pretty uptight place." Jadeite observed through his hazy vision, "Doesn't seem like anyone around here wants to have a good time."

"Well, their king just died." Rei explained with a brief snicker, "They're all grieving."

"Yeah, well… so are you!" Jadeite announced and grabbed the bottle back.

"My father would've loved you, Jadeite." Rei told him and unexpectedly she wrapped her arms around his and rested her head on his sleeve, "He hated funerals, didn't understand them. This is a much better way to honor him."

"By getting drunk with an alien?" Jadeite asked with a sideways glance.

She had to suppress fits of laughter to say, "No, to have fun. To embrace what people like my father gave to the rest of us: true freedom."

"Mmm, yes." Jadeite agreed and toasted to the memory of the King, "Here's to freedom."

He took another long drink and staggered a bit. He fell backwards into the wall of one of the Martian houses along their route and Rei fell with him, laughing all the way. They both juggled the bottle to keep it from spilling and soon found themselves holding hands with the bottle of wine between them. Rei's eyes flashed with a devilish light and she pushed the door of the house open and drew Jadeite into the darkened building.

"Rei!" He gasped laughing in fits, "What are you doing?"

"Nothing." She replied playfully and set the wine bottle down on a nearby table.

"Whose house is this?"

"I have no idea." The princess declared.

Jadeite was about to voice another question, but found himself cut off thanks to Rei's lips pressing against his. The room was oppressively dark, but even in the gloom he could see the faint glimmer of her eyes and her ruby red lips as the probed his with all the intensity of an impassioned lover. Jadeite kissed her back, forcing Rei up against a wall rattling a vase of flowers and knocking something that sounded like a book onto the floor. She reached up with one hand and grabbed a tuft of his blonde hair and practically ripped it out with her powerful grip. Jadeite felt her teeth latch onto his lower lip and responded by inviting his tongue into her mouth.

She wasted no more time and tore the jeweled stud that fastened Jadeite's jacket right off. He answered by finding the edges of her red gown and peeling it down her shoulders to where it fell on the floor. His hands roved over the marvelous figure that he could barely see and quiet, lusty gasps escaped Rei's lips even as they were locked with his. She all but tackled him to the floor, knocking over a chair as she did so. Jadeite reached down to undo his belt hoping to save another piece of clothing from Rei's wildly destructive abandon.

Her blood red nails dug into the skin of Jadeite's back and he jumped and winced against them. He brought his eyes up to hers and said, "I thought you Martians were non-violent."

"Violence and passion are two different things." The ravishing beauty panted through staccato breaths and forced their lips together again.

Jadeite tried to maneuver himself to roll on top of the Princess, but he found Rei to be rather resistant. She was wordlessly vehement in her desire to be in control of this encounter and against his usual rhetoric Jadeite relented. It was rare for him to encounter a woman who objected to him being in control and something altogether alien to be with a woman who outright resisted it. Clothes were shed along with reservations and inhibitions. Whoever's home in which they made their passionate encounter must have been vacant at the time for no one saw or heard their lovemaking and if they had no one disturbed them.

They slept entwined where they lay exhausted from their copulation and a night of drinking fine Martian sandberry wine. How long they slept Jadeite couldn't reckon when he awoke some time later, but the sun was still below the horizon. Rei stirred and rolled onto her side with a moan trying to fall back asleep, but then shot straight upright and her huge violet eyes caught sight of the naked man on the floor next to her.

"Good morning." He said with an easy smile.

Rei didn't answer. She looked around the room and then back at Jadeite, "Where are we?"

"I have no idea." He replied echoing Rei's assessment the night before.

She remained rather silent even as Jadeite stood up and strolled around the room stretching in the nude. She kept her eyes off his perfectly toned body and simply stared straight ahead. After a few moments the Shitennou retrieved his pants and started rooting around the cabinets of the strange kitchen.

"What are you doing?" Rei asked as she quickly slipped her dress back on hoping Jadeite wouldn't see that along with her cheeks the entirety of her body tended to turn red with embarrassment.

"Looking for something to eat." Jadeite told her, "On earth it would be customary for me to make breakfast for you after a night of… well… after last night."

Rei only nodded in recognition of his words. Her head started pounding with a massive headache brought on by that damnable wine. It was hard enough to think after waking up to such an unexpected sight, but she felt as if her head were splitting open. Nothing from the previous night was coming through clearly and she only remembered hazy portions of drinking and, apparently, debauchery.

"Is this an apple of some kind?" Jadeite asked holding an octagonal shaped piece of fruit in front of her. Rei practically jumped out of her seat.

"I think we should get back to the palace." She said quickly and more or less sprinted for the door.

"Um…" Jadeite said to himself as the door of the house slammed, "Okay."

He put the fruit back and hastily gathered up the rest of his clothes. As he pulled his jacket on he remembered about the broken fastener and had to chase after Rei with one hand keeping his coat closed. She wasn't exactly running, but she was walking much faster than she needed to.

"Rei, is something wrong?" Jadeite asked her as they hurried along towards the Martian palace.

"No, you seem to think everything is fine." She answered him succinctly.

"Okay, well that to me just screams that something is wrong." He told her keenly aware of the attitude in her voice, "What is it, exactly?"

"It's nothing at all, Jadeite." She answered again.

Never being a man who enjoyed games like these Jadeite reached out and pulled the Princess to a halt. She looked away from him, grumpily crossing her arms and acting indignant.

"Alright, now this is something I wasn't expecting." Jadeite said in a disappointed tone, "I know you can suppress your emotions and everything, but I grew a profound respect for your sophistication and maturity, Rei. This is the kind of reaction I would get from a doe-eyed innocent back home, but not from you."

"An innocent?" Rei asked in accusation, "Really? Is that your usual prey: naïve, virgin girls who barely have one eye open to the world?"

"What?" Jadeite snapped taken completely aback, "Where is this coming from?"

"It would probably be best if we stop speaking about it." Rei suggested shifting tones jarringly.

"No, no, wait a minute." Jadeite said and pieced things together, "You're telling me… by my honor, Rei, was that your first time, er… being with a man?"

"I don't see how that's any of your business." Rei replied remaining indignant.

"It was, wasn't it?" Jadeite said and his face fell. An overpowering feeling of guilt descended on his heart, "Rei, I—I don't even know what to say…"

"You could start by saying you're sorry!" Rei ordered.

Jadeite immediately dropped to his knees and said, "Rei, I am truly sorry. I beg you from the bottom of my heart to believe me; I never meant to hurt or shame you."

"You didn't hurt me, Jadeite." Rei corrected him, "You've confused me beyond the point of consolation."

"I'm sorry?" Jadeite said again, though it was more of a question this time.

"I always thought I would fall in love with some wonderful man, maybe after a long courtship, but many years from now after I'd settled into my new role as monarch." Rei told Jadeite with her eyes positively glowing with adolescent fantasy, "I thought I would give myself to him in a sea of candles and rose petals like something out of a storybook, not in a drunken row on the floor of a stranger's house."

"If candles and rose petals are what you want, I can give you that." Jadeite told her suggestively, standing up from where he knelt.

"That's not even close to what I mean." Rei said shaking her head with an uneasy laugh, "What I mean is… I had this childish romantic dream built up in my head which was _not_ the way it happened, but somehow I'm not upset by it."

"And you think you should be?" Jadeite asked.

"I don't know." Rei replied with an uneasy shrug, "I thought I would be, but considering the circumstances and everything that led up to last night, I just don't know."

"What?"

"Somehow it felt right." Rei told him, "Like that's the only way it could've happened."

"Maybe it was just the wine." Jadeite suggested, "You were in a very emotional state last night, we both had a bit too much to drink…"

"Maybe, but…" Rei answered and bit her lip, looking more confused than Jadeite had ever seen her look.

"But what?"

"I don't think I want it to be the wine's fault." Rei said and looked him in the eye, "If you know what I mean."

Jadeite took one of her delicate hands and began to pull her close, "Yes, I think I do."

Suddenly a group of palace guards stormed into their sight with Rei's mother close behind. Rei and Jadeite split apart instantly to avoid being seen so intimately.

"There you are!" Rei's mother exclaimed upon seeing them, "I've had the palace guard out looking for you all night!"

"I'm sorry to have worried you, mother." Rei apologized, "Jadeite was walking with me through the city. I was trying to clear my head after yesterday."

"I'm just glad you're all right." She said and turned to Jadeite, "However, Master Jadeite, you received an urgent message from Earth that you may find most distressing."

She presented Jadeite with a folded parchment. He took the note and read its contents and Rei saw his expression sour and then fall completely into astonishment. He rolled the note up after finishing and turned to look at his Martian companion.

"Rei…" he said ad his voice caught in his throat momentarily, "I have to return to Earth."

"What's wrong?" She asked worriedly.

"Nephrite and Princess Makoto are missing, possibly abducted." Jadeite told her and hearing of her Jovian ally Rei gasped in shock, "My Master has asked me to return and assist them with their search."

"Then we should leave as soon as possible." She agreed.

"Rei, you mustn't!" Her mother exclaimed, "Your father's funeral, not to mention your own coronation!"

"There will be time for that, mother." Rei replied, "They will need my help."

"Rei, please. As much as I—" Jadeite halted wanting tell her how much he wanted her to travel with him, "As much as I appreciate your assistance, perhaps it would be best for you to remain here. We do not yet know what danger we may be facing."

"Sound words, Master Jadeite." The elder woman told him, "You will be able to return to your duties on Earth in time, my daughter, but there are matters here that require your attention."

Rei looked utterly paralyzed, but finally relented and said, "Yes, mother. Of course."

"Very good, if you will come with me then Master Jadeite we will escort you to the Astral Gate." Rei's mother invited him.

"Yes, of course." He replied, "I will follow you shortly, I wish to thank Rei for her hospitality."

Her mother nodded and began walking away with her entourage and Jadeite turned back to Rei who was looking at the ground.

"I'm sorry," Jadeite told her, "But honestly, I don't know what danger you might be walking into back on Earth. It's best if you stay here."

"I should've known you'd side with my mother." Rei said amusedly, "She has that effect on people."

"It very well may be a dangerous situation." Jadeite reiterated, "If the Dark Kingdom is involved it would show a whole new threat from them. You've seen Nephrite and your friend Makoto in battle. They would not be easily subdued."

"My prayers will go with you for their safe recovery." Rei said and then looked up to lock eyes with the Shitennou, "And for your safe return."

"With your prayers I think I would be three times the man." Jadeite said, "Farewell, Princess."

Jadeite turned and began walking away leaving Rei standing forlorn in the middle of the street. He must have perceived it because he turned around called to her, "And Rei… I don't want to think that it was just the wine either."

Now she smiled as the Shitennou walked away. Jadeite thought of nothing but the Martian princess until he was once again standing on the surface of the Earth. With her scent on his nostrils, the taste of her lips on his tongue, the sound of her voice in his ears and the touch of her skin in his mind he could scarcely think of anything else except when he might be with her again.


	21. Chapter 17, A Strong Northern Wind

**SEVENTEEN**

**A Strong Northern Wind**

The frigid salty wind battered Nephrite's already ragged face as the _Gemini_ raced north through the night. The temperature had plummeted and Nephrite's hair was caked with ice thanks to the freezing spray of the ocean. However, the cold had no effect on him. The wind did not bother him and the cracked skin of his knuckles caused him no discomfort. He simply stood there with one hand on the _Gemini's_ mighty wheel as the frozen northern winds pushed the ship ever onward towards its icy destination.

Far below in the bowels of the ship the Princess of Jupiter was held in a small room. She was still bound with heavy cords and the sedative she unknowingly ingested was keeping her almost comatose. For Nephrite's purposes that suited him just fine. She would be well rested which would only aid him further. Soon the ocean waves would turn to sheets of ice and then Nephrite would need her to guide the _Gemini_ along stranger paths. Where they were going he knew only the power and fury of his captive Senshi would get them through.

* * *

When I met Jadeite at the Astral Gate he seemed different somehow. I knew the Martian Princess Rei wanted to engage the young Shitennou in a cultural exchange, but whatever he had seen must have been profound indeed. As much as I wanted to hear of his experience and pick his brain about the subtleties of Martian culture I had to refrain in light of our current predicament.

"What time is it?" Jadeite asked his first question upon seeing me.

"Not yet midnight." I answered him.

He closed his eyes and shook his head, "It was barely mid morning just a moment ago on Mars."

"If it's any consolation to you, I haven't slept for a day." I told my companion as I looked him over and noticed something strange, "What happened to your jacket?"

Jadeite felt around his left breast where the stud holding his jacket closed should have been and he said with a nervous chuckle, "Laundry accident."

"You were barely there for a day." I said incredulously.

Jadeite stepped off the Astral Gate platform and said, "Best if we just drop it, don't you think?"

"If you insist." I acquiesced as we began walking.

"Speaking of jackets, I notice yours is strangely absent." Jadeite skillfully noted as we walked.

"I thought we were done talking about jackets." I rebutted him.

"It pains me not to seize the opportunity to discuss such fascinating topics." Jadeite deadpanned.

"My jacket is currently keeping the Princess of Mercury warm, if you must know." I said hoping my voice wouldn't crack as I was sure I would never utter words such as those.

Jadeite stopped me, stepped in front of me and eyed me suspiciously. "Zoisite, what have you done?" He asked with his customarily waggish humor very present.

"I'd prefer to keep the details private, thank you." I said in reply.

"Zoisite!" my younger companion exclaimed and grabbed my shoulders, "Of all the news I could have heard upon my return! Well done, old boy!"

"I'm not flaunting a victory." I explained though I was feeling oddly proud in the face of the Shitennou's resident ladies' man.

"You should be!" Jadeite suggested, "Of all the stunning princesses who came to visit us you chose to woo the distant and studious Mercurian. How very bold of you, my friend!"

"I didn't woo her Jadeite." I corrected him, "Ami and I found ourselves to be very like-minded. We share many similar interests and hobbies."

"Apparently one of those hobbies does not involve clothing." Jadeite joked and gave me a glancing jab to the arm.

We started walking again and I said: "Your visit to Mars has not dulled your temperament."

"No, but it has given me a great deal to ponder in only a short time." Jadeite answered thoughtfully, "Their culture is so far removed from what we've handed down through the centuries. It's truly amazing, Zoisite."

"Are you going to tell me how you managed to rip your jacket?" I asked again, "Or do I have to travel to Mars myself to find out?"

"Well, if _you_ must know…" Jadeite said with a sharp grin and fanned his fingers together to crack his knuckles, "The fastener of my jacket is lying on the floor of a stranger's house in Mars' capitol city."

"Why?"

"Because last night Rei tore my jacket off after we broke into that house and had sex on the kitchen floor."

"How very bold of you." I echoed Jadeite's earlier sentiment, "After your first encounter I thought she would never speak to you again. You must be very proud of yourself."

"Oh no, Zoisite." Jadeite said wagging a finger back and forth, "Rei is not a prize, not a victory to me." I thought I was hearing another man speaking in Jadeite's place, "She's no trophy, no this one. I wasn't even the one that engaged our encounter."

"Jadeite, you sound almost serious about this girl." I mock gasped for his amusement.

"For the first time, Zoisite." He said and breathed in with a smile, "I have no idea what to do next!"

"Well I hope for your sake she waits for you until this business with the _Gemini_ is cleared up." I said refocusing on the severity of the mission ahead of us, "How much did they tell you in the message you received?"

"Only that Nephrite and Princess Makoto were missing." Jadeite answered coming out of his revelry as well, "I assume the search is already underway?"

"We discovered clues in Nephrite's chambers." I said uneasily, "Also, there was a portal behind one of his shelves that led straight to the docks."

"A portal?" Jadeite balked, "I can construct a stable portal only at the very limit of my power. There's no way Nephrite could control magic like that."

"Nevertheless, we went through it." I told him, "On the other side we were attacked. A ship fired on us. Half the wharf and seven ships were destroyed."

Jadeite looked stunned and didn't speak so I continued, "The ship was too far off to see and it was dark. I saw no burning lamps, but I have to assume it was the _Gemini_."

"What could this mean?" Jadeite asked, more of an outward thought.

"We discovered a course plotted in Nephrite's room." I informed him, "It runs almost due north to a point far up in the frozen reaches of the planet."

"Nephrite would know better than to sail those waters, the ice floes would tear his ship apart." Jadeite mused, "This has to be the Dark Kingdom's work."

"But for what purpose?" I asked.

"One of us and one of them." Jadeite said referring to a Shitennou and Senshi captive, "That has to be the explanation. Consider that Nephrite by brute strength alone is the strongest of us and from what I saw in the battle against Thetis the same holds true for Sailor Jupiter and the Senshi."

"You think the Dark Kingdom has purposely captured our most powerful comrades?" I asked and Jadeite nodded grimly.

The thought did not sit well with me. Considering the sheer strength that would be required to overcome either Nephrite or Sailor Jupiter on their own I could only quake at the thought of them being used as weapons against us by the Dark Kingdom. Jadeite and I made our way out into the central square in Elysion and then down to the docks at the outskirts of the city. Kunzite was there with Endymion, Serenity, Artemis, Minako and Ami. When I saw the Princess of Mercury standing there I suddenly became tense recalling that our last parting was somewhat awkward.

"Welcome home, Jadeite." Endymion greeted the returning Shitennou.

"Thank you, Master." Jadeite said with a bow.

"I look forward to hearing everything you have to tell me about your unfortunately brief trip once this crisis has abated." Endymion said.

"Of course, Master." Jadeite replied respectfully, "What do you need me to do?"

"We've secured a ship to pursue the _Gemini_." Endymion said and motioned to a small three-mast clipper behind him. The name painted over the stern read _Cygnus_.

"The _Gemini_ is a hundred-gun frigate, Master." Jadeite reminded Endymion, "Forgive me for saying so, but in a firefight we wouldn't last out a minute in this puddle jumper."

"That's why I'm trusting that you'll be able to _avoid_ a fight." Endymion said and motioned to the _Cygnus _again, "This is the fastest ship we have available to us. She's been stripped down to the rigging and you'll have to crew her yourselves."

"You're not coming with us?" Kunzite asked assuming our Mater intended to command the mission.

"No, and you're not going either Kunzite." Endymion said sternly, "I need you here."

"Master, I know Nephrite better than anyone." Kunzite pleaded, "If he is involved in this in any way I should be there to face him."

"Normally I'd agree with you, but I can't take the risk." Endymion said sorrowfully, "Minako and Ami have made it quite clear that they intend to accompany Jadeite and Zoisite on this voyage. With the Senshi and all of my Shitennou gone Elysion would be in dire straits should the Dark Kingdom choose to attack again."

"Yes." Kunzite said seeming that he wanted to continue the debate, but decided against it, "Of course, Master."

"I'll be joining you as well." Artemis said and motioned to a large handled chest he was carrying, "There's no telling what condition you may find your friends in. I offer my alchemical and pharmaceutical services."

"We would be honored, Grand Magus." I said to my fast friend.

"Zoisite, there are provisions aboard to last several days." Endymion told me, "I'm hoping to see you back here before you even have to touch them."

"I will do my best, Master." I assured him as heartily as I could.

"As you always do." Endymion said with a smile, "Jadeite, keep an eye on him. I know how much Zoisite loves boats."

Jadeite nodded and I felt my face flush slightly. We quickly set about our work loading the _Cygnus_ with whatever remaining implements we needed. Jadeite and I both returned to our respective chambers to fetch our swords and a change of clothes. I was once again wearing my "wet work" boots which had not seen service since Acheron. Jadeite, prepared to look the part in any situation, arrived wearing typical mariner's clothing including breeches, a bandanna, and a long seafaring overcoat. Endymion and Kunzite helped to undo the moorings that held the _Cygnus_ at dock and Shitennou and Senshi worked to unfurl the sails.

"Ouch!" I heard Minako shout as she was tying down a line, "By the end of this voyage I wager I will have broken every one of my nails."

"It's a small price to pay." I said feeling somewhat perturbed at her vain comment.

"I'm not complaining, Master Zoisite." Minako told me though I scarcely believed her, "I was just trying to make conversation."

I ignored her as we finished opening every sail the ship had to give. The canvas caught the breeze easily and the vessel lurched forward with great speed. Our wake swelled out behind us as the Cygnus began cutting easily through the ocean waves. Endymion, Kunzite, and Serenity waved us off from the docks and soon enough they were only tiny specks on the horizon shrinking quickly behind us.

"I've never been aboard a sailing ship!" Artemis cried happily from his perch at the bow of the speeding _Cygnus_, "This is exhilarating!"

"Easily amused, isn't he?" Jadeite whispered to me as he carried a coil of rope across the deck.

I snickered to myself and laid a hand on the ship's wheel angling us slightly east to keep clear of the shoals jutting out from the shores of the Golden Kingdom. I was not overly fond of the sea though I knew the ways of seamanship well. However, standing there guiding the majestic vessel along with the stars reeling overhead and the cool wind of the ocean in my face I could understand why some men felt drawn to the sea.

"You look like you're daydreaming." I heard Ami's voice say and I suddenly snapped to attention.

"Oh, Ami." I said startled, "I'm sorry, I was lost in my thoughts, wasn't I?"

"You don't have to apologize, Zoisite." She told me, "In fact, I think I'm the one that should."

"Why?" I asked her, "For what?"

"Last night." She replied, "I feel like, maybe, it was the wrong thing to do."

I certainly wasn't looking for an apology, but hearing Ami say those words somehow made me feel better, not because I regretted what happened, but because I relieved to find that she seemed distracted by it as well.

"I don't think it was the _wrong_ thing to do." I said stressing my position, "I think it was just unexpected."

"Well, if you hadn't noticed, I'm not exactly the spur-of-the-moment type." Ami said wringing her hands nervously, "I know I was being coy and suggestive with you, but I thought that was what men from your world responded to."

"What would make you think that?" I asked with a perplexed look.

"Because that's what I saw Minako do to you and I saw how you reacted to her." Ami said honestly, "But I don't have the motive she had. I simply wanted to know you better."

"Ami, suggestion and flirtatiousness aside, I was struck by you the moment you sat down at played at my piano." I told her, "I simply assumed as a Princess and a visiting diplomat you would be uninterested in such pursuits."

"It seems we're both something of a novice at this sort of thing." Ami confessed and I had to agree with her, "Still, what happened yesterday was certainly not unpleasant."

"Certainly not." I said with a wink.

"I heard King Endymion say you were not fond of traveling on ships." Ami said as she walked behind me, playfully caressing her hand over my shoulders, "I hope you'll come by my cabin tonight if it starts causing you too much stress. I'm sure we can find something to take our minds off the sea."

"Like what?" I asked, leaning close and whispering my question in her ear.

"Well…" she said drawing the word out seductively, "I did bring a chess board with me."

With that she turned and walked away to busy herself with some menial task on the ship. I stood at the wheel again completely dumbstruck by this young woman's natural ability to paralyze my thought process. I know she was being facetious with me, but she was unnervingly good at it! Despite my dissatisfaction with the prospect I focused on keeping the _Cygnus _on course, though I constantly found my gaze drifting to follow Ami as she prowled the deck. I just prayed I wouldn't do something ridiculous like beach the ship because of it.

* * *

Makoto felt heavy when she awoke as though her bones were replaced with stone. She was groggy and exhausted despite having been asleep for the better part of twenty four hours. Her eyes refused to work for several moments and as the haze receded she saw the wooden bulkheads of a sailing ship greeting her. She felt her hands and feet bound by strong knots. The ship pitched beneath her and she used the momentum to roll herself upright and prop her back against a wall. The delirium of her deep sleep wore off slowly, but before long she could recall her last thoughts of being in Nephrite's chambers, being told of some important task and drinking a potion…

"Sedative." She whispered to herself in a hoarse voice.

All at once she knew she had been abducted. She considered her options, but there were few available. She struggled against her bonds, but even her prodigious strength could not break them. She briefly considered calling on her Senshi powers, but the hinges of a door creaked somewhere above her and she heard footsteps descending. Another door opened, more footsteps, and finally she heard the rattle of keys and the snap of a lock. The door of her room swung open and she saw the Shitennou Nephrite standing above her.

"Oh?" He gasped lazily, "You're awake?"

She did not speak, knowing silence would be the most prudent course with her abductor. Nephrite circled around her and grabbed one of her arms roughly. She tried to shake him off, but he was incredibly strong and he rolled the woman over onto her side. He grabbed the end of the knot around her hands and pulled tight eliciting a small yelp of pain. Seemingly satisfied he eased her back into a sitting position.

"Just checking." Nephrite said with a smirk, "Knots are tricky things, but even the best can be undone with a little effort and patience."

"What do you want?" Makoto barked at her captor.

"I told you before." Nephrite reminded her, "I just want your help, Princess."

"I might have helped you if you had been forthright with me." She said and shook against her bonds, "Instead you poison me and take me as your prisoner? It seems the Silver Alliance has greatly misjudged your Golden Kingdom."

"I do not act with Master Endymion's blessing in my current endeavor." Nephrite told the Princess, "And I don't view you as a prisoner, my dear. I simply can't take the chance that you won't assist me."

"I will not assist you." Makoto spat in disgust.

"I think you will." Nephrite said with a malevolent grin, "Mister Skinner!"

Suddenly Nephrite was joined by a short, stunted man with a huge firearm at his side. The salty lieutenant nodded and handed Nephrite a small vial of liquid. Makoto recognized it immediately and tried to move away, but with her legs bound she could do little. The smaller man rushed towards her and grabbed her chestnut hair as though she were a disobedient hound. She shrieked in pain and he caught her mouth with his other hand, forcing it open. Nephrite grabbed her nose between two fingers and poured the brackish liquid down her throat. She coughed and sputtered against it, but she had unwillingly swallowed the poison a second time. She swooned and her head fell to the deck as she lost consciousness again.

"Keep an eye on her." Nephrite ordered and Skinner nodded, following his captain out of the small room and locking the door behind him.

He stood guard outside the door as Nephrite ascended the stairs to the main deck to continue steering the _Gemini_ on her way north. Before long small chunks of ice began sliding past the ship as the massive arctic ice floes came into view. Nephrite smiled feeling anxious to begin the next phase of the journey. As the ice began to scrape down the hull Nephrite silently rolled a small jade stone in his hand which blazed with piercing light…

* * *

Our voyage north was uneventful. We sailed through the night and on through the next day, and the next, but saw no trace of the _Gemini_. The air had grown much colder and on the morning of the third day I awoke to find the deck frosted over. A light snow fell and Artemis stood by himself on the stern catching snowflakes in his hands and on his tongue like a mystified young child. Unfortunately with such a small crew there was little time for rest and though I desperately wanted to take Ami up on her offer of "taking our minds off the sea" I could not.

"Sleep any better tonight?" Jadeite asked me as he joined me near the wheel.

"I can never sleep at sea." I told him hearing eerie echoes of Nephrite's similar declaration on the voyage to Acheron, "I don't know how anyone could stand being rocked back and forth endlessly. It's even worse on a smaller ship like this."

"It's just like being rocked to sleep by your mother, Zoisite." Jadeite said chipper as ever.

"I don't remember if I even have a mother." I reminded my companion, "Neither do you."

"It's just a figure of speech." He said frowning slightly, "You really do hate being on boats, don't you?"

"Does it show?"

"Good morning, gentlemen!" Artemis announced jovially as he joined our conversation, "Quite the brisk morning, eh? And this precipitation is most intriguing. I've read about planets were snow falls, but I've never been able to see it firsthand!"

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself." I said slightly more aggravated than I wanted to sound, but Artemis didn't seem to take notice.

"Zoisite!" I heard my name called from the bow and I saw Minako practically hanging over the edge of the ship, "Zoisite, quickly!"

I left Jadeite at the wheel and rushed up to where the Princess stood trying with all my might not to slip on the slick, icy deck. When I joined her she pointed out into the misty, snow-filled horizon and I saw the vague outline of a shape approaching us much too fast.

"What is that?" She asked as the shape grew larger and larger. Suddenly I knew.

"ICEBERG!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, "Hard to starboard!"

Jadeite answered my call and threw the wheel to the right and the _Cygnus_ started to turn. The towering iceberg was upon us standing as tall as the ship's masts and stretching like a floating mesa of ice and snow into the sky. Below the waterline the ship struck the iceberg and groaned against it. We turned away and the massive beast went drifting past. I immediately climbed down the stairs below deck to inspect the interior of the hull. Our crates of provisions shifted and I could easily see some buckling of the thick timbers and a few damp spots along the waterline, but thankfully I could see no immediately threatening damage.

"Zoisite!" I heard my name called again, this time by Jadeite, "You'd better come back up here!"

I obliged at once silently pondering how anyone in their right mind could consider a life at sea with so many risks and duties to perform. When I reached the deck again I was stopped in my tracks by what I saw. In the few moments I was below deck the _Cygnus_ had sailed into an ice floe. We were completely surrounded and we immediately went to work drawing the sails to halt our momentum. The ship came to an uneasy stop as huge sheets of ice drifted by scraping the hull as they went.

"This isn't good." I said to no one in particular.

"We have to turn back." Minako said.

"The _Gemini _isn't anywhere back there." I replied, "She must still be ahead of us."

"We can't risk sailing through these ice sheets." Minako argued, "The _Gemini_, maybe, but this ship will be crushed like an egg!"

"We run that risk if we try to turn around as well." Jadeite added.

"And if we stay here tonight when the temperature drops this floe will freeze solid and crush us anyway." I said as I sighed heavily and leaned on the ship's rail.

"I think I can help." Ami said softly as she stepped up to be in front of me.

"Ami?" I asked quizzically.

"I may be able to get us through safely." Ami elaborated, "As a Senshi I have power over water, ice and vapor. I might be able to protect the ship against the ice floe."

"Maybe for a while, Ami." Minako warned her, "But the further in we go the thicker the ice will get until it's as solid as the surface of Pluto."

"If I can get us in I can get us out." Ami assured her Senshi superior, "And at least we can go further than we could otherwise."

"Alright Ami." I agreed and Minako did not look pleased that I subverted her authority, "Let's give it a try."

Ami nodded with a smile and took her place at the bow of the ship. Jadeite and Artemis unfurled the sail of the main mast only and the _Cygnus_ began moving slowly forward as ice scraped down her hull. Ami cried out in a loud voice calling upon the power of her home planet and in a dazzling column of light, much as I saw during Sailor Mars' transformation, Ami's seafaring garments were replaced by her Senshi uniform, ice blue where Mars' was fiery red. She reached out her hands as if embracing the sea itself and the ship was bathed in a foggy blue aura. Almost immediately I heard the scraping of ice against our hull cease. Whatever Ami was doing was working!

"These Senshi could teach us a thing or two about elemental magic." Jadeite mumbled in my ear.

"Don't let Minako hear you say that." I warned him, "If it gets back to Kunzite we won't hear the end of it."

With Ami guiding us the _Cygnus_ continued on north for several more hours until the ice simply became too thick to proceed. Ami called on her Senshi powers to freeze the water beneath the ship and lift it up safely out of the way of the crushing plates of ice that now began to lock together like huge pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. We had no choice but to continue on foot. Snow began to fall harder as we climbed down the sides of the ship onto the solid ice beneath us. In her Senshi form Ami seemed insulated against the cold as did Minako who was now garbed in her golden Senshi regalia as well. Artemis, Jadeite and I found ourselves huddled together to conserve heat as we marched slowly across the bleak white landscape.

We didn't speak as the wind was howling too loud to permit us to talk at all. We simply trudged on keeping one eye on a compass that led us inexorably north. Time ceased having a meaning. The sun and sky were lost to us in that harsh winter wasteland. Artemis who was so rapt in awe of snow only a few hours before was now cursing it under his breath as the cold stung his face. Every few hundred yards we stopped to take a short rest and to mark our path with stones. In the back of my mind I considered the folly of trying to find our way back. Surely the snow would cover the stones in a matter of hours if not minutes. It was futile, but also somehow soothing.

After what seemed like hours of aimless marching the snow finally began to let up and on the horizon we could see the dim outline of titanic mountains rising in the distance. We brought tools to dig a shelter in the snow if necessary which Jadeite carried on his back, but I preferred to reach the safety of those mountains where the crooks and crags would offer us some protection against the frigid weather. After several more hours we could see the mountains looming in front of us only about a kilometer away. Night was falling fast and as the sky cleared the brilliant shining stars began to wink into existence. The air was so clear in that frigid northern waste that I could see the hazy clouds of the Milky Way itself. When the moon rose above us it lit up the white landscape as though it were midday in Elysion. It was that light that finally pointed us in the direction of what we sought.

Far off in the distance near the base of the towering arctic mountains we could see a familiar shape resting upright atop the ice. It was the unmistakable profile of the _Gemini_. As we approached we found that the ship was actually levitating a few feet off the surface of the ice. A noxious black cloud billowed out from the bottom of the ship. A rope ladder hung down from one side and our group cautiously climbed up, then over the railing and onto the deck of the stately vessel. It was eerily quiet, devoid of life, but somewhere within the ship I sensed a great reservoir of power.

"Something doesn't feel right." I said to Jadeite who nodded in silent agreement.

We opened the cabin door at the stern of the ship which served as the captain's quarters, but inside we found no trace of Nephrite and no clue as to his current whereabouts. Cautiously and quietly the group descended to the lower decks, but found nothing, further down we heard a faint humming drone and we followed it to the ship's cargo hold. Inside we beheld a truly disturbing sight.

Princess Makoto was suspended within what appeared to be an organic chamber. A partially opaque window of amber obscured her from full view, but we saw she was dressed in her Senshi attire. Numerous green and brown tendrils, almost like vines were wrapped around her whole body and they pulsed like veins. The capsule was wreathed with stronger growth and huge vein-like tentacles reached down into the hull of the _Gemini _pulsing with seeping energy.

"We have to get her out of there." Minako said while the rest of us stood there in shock.

"Wait, we don't know what—" I started, but she cut me off.

"Wait nothing!" She shouted, "We need to get her out now!"

She grabbed the hilt of the sword at my waist and swung at the strange capsule containing he friend, but Artemis stepped in and grabbed her arm just before she landed the blow against the amber casket. Minako ripped her arm away furiously and moved to swing again, but Artemis placed himself between her and Makoto.

"What are you doing, Artemis?" She demanded.

"We don't know what's happening to her." Artemis calmly replied, "And we don't know what would happen if you just suddenly tried to cut her out of there."

"But—" the Princess tried to argue, but Artemis was already speaking.

"Let me study this first and find out what it's doing to her." The Grand Magus said soothingly, "This voyage will be for naught if we don't bring her back safely."

A tremendous gunshot interrupted the conversation and a bullet struck Artemis square in the chest. The Grand Magus tumbled backwards into Makoto's captive pod and he slumped lifeless to the floor.

"Artemis!" Sailor Venus shrieked and whirled around with the rest of us.

I recognized the gunman instantly as the diminutive Lieutenant Skinner who accompanied Nephrite and I on our voyage to Acheron. I should have known the preternaturally loyal runt would be involved somehow. However, seeing him only deepened my concern over Nephrite's current mental state. It was no longer a question of if Nephrite orchestrated these events, but rather why.

"You bastard!" Venus shouted at him and stepped forward.

Skinner leveled his huge blunderbuss at the Senshi and she stopped in her tracks. He motioned with the barrel for us to move away from the pod containing Makoto. We obliged and out of the corner of my eye I saw Sailor Mercury trip and fall to the ground, clutching her ankle with an agonizing cry of pain. The distraction was momentary, but it was enough to call Skinner's attention. Jadeite pulled a small dagger out of his boot and flung it with incredible speed and accuracy. The knife impaled Skinner's right arm and he dropped the blunderbuss without a sound and clutched his wound. Ami stood up, having faked the sprain and winked at me, one tactician to another.

We moved on him immediately and kicked his favored weapon away. Minako grabbed the dwarf by his throat and hoisted him up against the ship's wooden bulkheads. "Where is Nephrite?" she demanded.

Skinner choked and coughed against her grip and his left hand flailed wildly making motions toward his mouth and I pulled Minako back, "He's a mute." I told her, "He might be trying to tell us something through hand signals."

Minako eyed me suspiciously, but released him all the same. Skinner slid down to the ground and we all took a step back to give him some room. He raised up his left arm again and a glint of metal caught my eye. He let a small, single-shot pistol drop into his hand which was concealed up his sleeve. Before any of us could react he put the gun against his head and pulled the trigger. Ami looked away with a hand over her eyes. Jadeite and I simply stared at the dead body and the smoking hole in its temple trying to think of what we could have done differently. Then we heard motion behind us.

We whirled around to see Artemis standing up, leaning with one hand against Sailor Jupiter's pod. His white clothes were stained red with blood and he held a metal bullet in his hand which he was studying intently as though it were a scientific experiment.

"Artemis!" Minako gasped at the surprisingly healthy Magus, "You're alright!"

"Oh yes, fine." He answered as cheerfully as ever, "Just grazed, really."

"Grazed?" I asked in stupefied awe, "It looked to me that you took a lead ball to the heart!"

"Zoisite, for a scholar you think in remarkably one-dimensional terms." Artemis chided me gently with a smirk, "My species' physiology is quite advanced. It would take trauma of an extremely distasteful nature to imagine to do us any serious harm."

"Yes, Artemis is full of tricks." Minako said as she hugged the Magus and for the first time I realized that there was some kinship between the two that I hadn't noticed before.

"Zoisite." Jadeite called to me and I saw him standing at an open cannon port, "I think I know where Nephrite might be." He pointed out the port into the night towards the towering mountains, "Over there, do you see it?"

"A cave." I replied. I turned to the Senshi and repeated myself.

"You should go track down your comrade." Artemis suggested, "I'll remain here and learn what I can about whatever this device is that is holding Princess Makoto."

"You sure you'll be alright by yourself?" I asked still taken aback by the huge blood stain on the Magus' clothes.

"I'll be fine." He assured us all.

With that we left Artemis to his work and climbed up onto the deck of the _Gemini_ then back down the rope ladder to the ground. It was not far to the mouth of the cave and inside where the harsh winds could no longer reach us we found dry ground and fresh footprints which could only be Nephrite's. I illuminated the cave with a torch we had brought with us and saw that it stretched deep into the earth. I heard no rocks settling nor water trickling. The cave was deathly still, unlike any other I had ever encountered. Our small party continued in silence, the only noise being our footfalls.

As we continued down I began feeling a strange, familiar sensation. The cave had many ancillary passages jutting off in all directions, but somehow I knew which path to take. Jadeite was next to me, not following behind, but forging ahead on his own. Even though we were both heading in the same direction I could tell instinctively that he felt the same familiar feeling. After a few minutes' descent we came to a passage that opened into an enormous cavern. The floor beneath us was no longer dirty, loose rock, but finely cut cobblestones: a street. Jadeite and I walked the street, one we both recognized. Before long we came to a fountain, crumbled and in disrepair. We found columns and huge blocks of masonry from fallen towers and temples.

We rounded a corner and found ourselves in a plaza which we recognized all too well. It was demolished and faded by the long, decaying erosion of time. Statues lay toppled; the dome of the capitol was crumbled. In the center of the ruined underground plaza stood Nephrite looking down at something on the ground in front of him. We approached cautiously and stood on either side of the wayward Shitennou and saw what he saw: a relief carving of the Sun Cross, the symbol of the Earth, which adorned almost every building, tenement, and byway in the Golden Kingdom.

"Nephrite." Minako said from behind and all of us including Nephrite turned around.

"Princess?" Nephrite asked and then suddenly registered that Jadeite and I were standing there with him, "What are you doing here?"

"That's what we'd like to know from you." Ami told him.

Nephrite looked at her with a perplexed grin and answered, "I always come here."

I was scarcely aware of the strange sensation that was overpowering me, but I remember distinctly answering Ami's question along with Nephrite saying, "I do to."

Minako now looked worried and she approached Nephrite cautiously, "What have you done to Sailor Jupiter?"

"Nothing." Nephrite replied and beyond my own curious experience I detected his honesty, "I've been here the whole time."

"Nephrite, we've come to take you back to Elysion." Ami said as she approached too.

Nephrite chuckled. I found myself and Jadeite joining him. Then, just as the feeling washed over me it was gone. I recognized my surroundings, but the warm, familiar feeling was replaced with fear and dread. I sensed Jadeite felt it as well and even Nephrite who now seemed to be coming out of what could only be described as a nightmare. This place, the Sun Cross, it was so cold, empty, and utterly wrong. I shuddered where I stood and looked down at the fallen Sun Cross again and I felt a sharper terror than any other I had ever experienced.

"Did you hear me?" Ami asked again, "We have to go back to Elysion!"

"Ami…" I gasped as I felt all the life was being sucked from my body, "This _is_ Elysion."


	22. Chapter 18, Secrets in the Ice

**EIGHTEEN**

**Secrets in the Ice**

I was frozen both in body and soul. This subterranean city that surrounded our small group may as well have been my tomb. For several long moments I know I didn't breathe. I could hear Ami and Minako shouting at us, their voices ringing with concern and confusion, but I couldn't hear anything clearly. My mind was completely overcome by what I can only describe as memories and emotions piling up like smashed glass: fragmented, disorganized, and jagged. I was not the only one experiencing such discontent. I could see it in the eyes of Jadeite and Nephrite as well. Some unspeakable horror transpired here and somehow we were involved.

"Zoisite?" I finally heard Ami's voice clearly as it cut through the confusion in my head.

"Ami." I said as I exhaled with a heavy shudder. Apparently I had been holding my breath this whole time.

"Are you alright?" She asked pensively.

"I…" I started to answer and realized I wasn't sure.

"Zoisite, where are we?" Ami asked me directly, obviously trying to keep me focused on something other than those strange surroundings, "You said this was Elysion."

"It feels so familiar here." I told her almost fondly, "I remember bits and pieces." I knelt down and ran my hand over the fallen sculpture of the Sun Cross, "I know I've been here before."

"We've all been here before." Nephrite said, strangely complacent despite the situation.

"You stole your own ship, kidnapped Makoto and killed innocent people to get here." Minako accused him, "What is this place?"

Nephrite shook his head, "I'm sorry, I don't remember any of that."

"Don't remember?" The Senshi of Venus snapped, "My best friend is trapped and possibly dying back on your ship because of whatever you did to her!" She stepped up into Nephrite's face and her voice grew cold, "Endymion wants you taken back and if I have my way you will deal with _my _justice when we return."

"Princess, this isn't helping." Ami said and pulled her comrade back away, "We should return to the ship."

"Wait." I said and began walking. There was a building on the square that I recognized. The columns supporting it were crumbling, but upright. There were pedestals and shelves inside, dusty and empty. I ran my hands along them and remembered fondly, "This was a clothing boutique."

"You used to…" Jadeite said as he joined me by my side, thinking hard, "You would come here at the start of every season when the fashions changed. I used to make fun of you for it."

"Kunzite chastised you for spending your money on clothes instead of something useful." Nephrite added with a slight grin.

"Over there!" I said and pointed down the ruined street to a building that had completely crumbled, "That was the tavern we used to frequent…" I struggled to remember, "The, uh… The Heart and…"

"Heart and Crown." Nephrite remembered and it felt like pieces of that shattered glass in my mind began to form back into a solid shape.

I turned to Jadeite with my mouth agape and asked, "Where are we?"

"It feels like…" He said slowly, carefully, "…home."

"I don't like this at all." Minako said cheerlessly and pointed back towards the cave, "There's something here that we're not seeing. I think we should leave."

"Rei would be able to sense if there was any sort of foreign influence in these ruins." Ami said thoughtfully, "Perhaps we could return when her duties on Mars are complete."

Part of me ignored Ami, the part that was entranced by this wrecked city. It was a dormant, emotional part of me that was far buried under my years of political debate, social captivity, and deference to my duty to Master Endymion. I was not resentful of any of it, but the re-emergence of those feelings brought on by being in this place was threatening my rationality.

I turned away from the ruined boutique and walked back out into the plaza. I felt melancholy walking those paces again after so long. I knew in my heart whatever familiarity was being dredged up was ancient indeed. The memories I had were like still-life paintings, snapshots only. I could remember no faces or names beyond the other Shitennou. I couldn't recall tastes, or sounds, but I knew somehow that this place buried under the snow was part of my past. As I set foot on the first step of the huge marble flight leading up to the main building my blood grew cold.

"What is it?" Jadeite asked, obviously sensing my paralysis.

"Here." I said in a rasping voice.

I distinctly remembered the sensation: a burning feeling, followed by numbness and a loss of breath. It was the feeling of a blade piercing my body, through my ribs and into my lungs. I remembered falling, seeing Jadeite lying crushed under a column. I could hear Nephrite crying at the top of lungs in blind range. I didn't know where Kunzite was. Soldiers rushed all around me, some in armor, some in rags. The white stone plaza was stained red with all the blood that was spilling. The clatter of weapons and the roar of fires were replaced by all-consuming silence, and then all I remembered was darkness.

"Zoisite?" Ami asked nervously. I didn't hear her.

"I died here." I said to no one in particular. Jadeite understood.

"I was standing…" Jadeite suddenly spoke. His finger was pointed at a column, toppled, near the western edge of the plaza. He walked over to it, "I was standing right here. I remember it. I looked up… I couldn't get out of the way…"

"What's he talking about?" Minako asked.

Nephrite walked further up the stairs, climbed over ruined columns in his path until he stood at the building's entrance which could no longer be reached. "Here." Was all he said and he pointed beyond the fallen stone to where he gave his last in defense of the palace.

"This is…" Jadeite said and his voice cracked, "No, this is some sort of illusion."

"No, it's not." I answered and to reiterate my point I stamped on the ground.

"Zoisite, I remember dying here." Jadeite said uneasily, his composure began to fracture, "Right _here_. How can I remember that?"

"I don't know." I answered honestly.

"Listen to me!" Minako shouted, now speaking more out of fear than anything, "We need to get back to the _Gemini _and help Sailor Jupiter. Whatever this place is, it's obviously not healthy for you to be here."

"I can hear the horses' hooves against the cobblestones." Jadeite said as he wandered back and forth at the top of the stairs, "I can hear screams beyond the plaza. _'They're coming over the walls!'_ _'They've taken the gate! Protect the palace!'_"

I heard the voices as well. I could feel the wind rush by my face as an arrow whizzed past me. I ducked out of the way, fearing I would be hit with the next volley. I could see Ami and Minako standing there, unmoving. I couldn't imagine why they weren't running. I certainly wanted to run, but my place was here defending the palace to the last man.

"Nephrite!" I heard Jadeite call out, "They're coming!"

"Let them come!" Nephrite hollered back. His fists were clenched at his side and he was ready for battle.

"What's wrong with them?" Minako asked, though in my delirium I could barely understand her.

Ami answered, "Something in this place is affecting them. They're hallucinating."

"Shore up that line, soldiers!" Nephrite called down to the soldiers lining the bottom of the palace stairs, "Shields, men! Form a wall and when they break upon you, give them the spear!"

"Do you think Artemis has anything that could snap them out of this?" Minako suggested.

"Possibly, but I don't want to leave them in this state." Ami theorized, "There's no telling what they might do if left unattended."

"Here they come!" I called out, "Steady men, steady!"

"Archers!" Jadeite ordered throwing his hand through the air, "Give them a volley!"

"I'm going to try something." Ami said and ushered Minako away. She approached us where we stood lost in our dreamworld. She spoke a verse, almost like an incantation that sounded like "Aqua Mist."

Immediately the underground plaza began filling with a blue-tinged fog. It was cold in that arctic cavern, but when the mist descended cold took on a new meaning. The skin that was exposed on my face and hands felt as though it were burning. A chill ran through me as though my blood had frozen and my spine was replaced with an icicle. The army we were about to fight and _die_ fighting faded away. I registered only the pain of the cold.

"Wha—what's happening?" Jadeite shivered, desperately trying to warm himself.

"Zoisite!" Minako practically screamed at me and I saw the intensity in her eyes, "Tell your friends we need to leave this cave_. NOW!_"

The cold was clouding my mind. The memories and familiar feelings that had descended upon me so recently felt like they were fading. The hallucination which seemed to be so real moments ago now sparked in my mind's eye as a dreadful apparition. Instead of the sense of wonder and awe that I felt moments ago I now only found confusion and fear.

"Jadeite. Nephrite." I said to each of my companions in turn, "We need to depart."

Jadeite needed no other impetus. He was already moving back towards the exit of the cavern. Nephrite glanced around seemingly unaffected by the cold, but when he looked into my eyes I saw the same pain and uncertainty that I was feeling. He nodded his understanding and followed Jadeite out.

"Don't let up until we get out of here." I said to Ami understanding that her control of the cold was the only thing that broke us out of our trance. She answered with a nod.

With her and Minako at my heels the Shitennou and Senshi left the ruined plaza and climbed our way back into the cavern. Jadeite led the way swiftly, practically sprinting for the mouth of the cave when it was in sight. Nephrite lingered on the threshold as we walked past him and I saw how torn he was. Something in that place had wounded him terribly and we still had no idea as to how he discovered it in the first place, or what led him to such extremes to travel here.

"Let's get back to the _Gemini_, we can rest when we get there." Minako ordered and we all agreed. All but one of us.

Nephrite's back was to the group. He was walking away, back towards the cave, back towards the city buried under the mountains of ice.

"Nephrite!" I called out to him, but I was unheard.

Jadeite sprinted, he was exceptionally fast over short distances, and he blocked Nephrite's path, "Nephrite, the ship is the other way." He said.

The elder Shitennou brushed him aside and started into a slow jog. We had no choice now. Jadeite and I caught up to our wayward companion and each grabbed one of his arms. His strength was astonishing! Growling and snarling at us like a wild beast, Nephrite tried to shake us away, but we held fast. We wrestled him to the frozen ground, but he continued to kick and claw at the snow trying desperately to move forward.

"Let go of me!" he cried out in a feral voice, "I have to go back! Let me go back!"

He lashed out with all his fury and managed to kick Jadeite away. With one arm free he swung it wildly in a wide arc with tremendous speed and his fist pounded against the side of my head. My vision reeled and my stomach tumbled with the impact. I lost my grip on him and Nephrite darted forward, salivating and screaming. Through my hazy sight I saw a golden chain cut through the frigid arctic air. It seemed to be made of metallic heart-shaped links and it wound itself around Nephrite's body like a lariat. His arms were pinned; his stopped running and was pulled off his feet.

"No!" He screamed face-down into the snow, "Release me!"

Sailor Venus coiled the chain around her arm and practically began reeling in the crazed warrior as though he were a fish out of water. I stood up along with Jadeite and we helped her bring Nephrite to his feet who after a moment seemed to completely collapse inward, silent and eyes closed. His gritting teeth made no sound. We led him back to the _Gemini_ in silence and once aboard went below deck where we found Artemis embroiled in study.

"I see you found him." The Grand Magus said noticing Nephrite, bound by Minako's enchanted chain.

"Have you been able to figure out what he did to Makoto?" she asked impatiently.

"As far as I can tell he didn't do anything." Artemis replied, "Whatever this structure is, it's not the work of the Shitennou. It carries the same magical signature as the youma of the Dark Kingdom."

"But… how?"Jadeite asked completely stunned, "We would have felt their presence somehow, somewhere within the palace grounds!"

"The stars…" Nephrite groaned. He had slumped down on the floor of the ship with his back against the bulkheads. We listened to his moaning voice, "A message… stars…"

"He's probably dehydrated." Minako assumed, "Exhausted and hallucinating again."

Nephrite's head rolled to the right in a jerking motion several times. I could see behind the golden links of chain he was reaching for his right pocket. I approached him cautiously and reached where he couldn't and pulled out several folded pieces of parchment. They were similar to the ones we discovered in his chambers, but these seemed to be complete recordings and not scrap. Artemis took one and immediately understood the shapes and verses scribbled in the margins.

"I think he means to tell us that he received these messages from the stars." Artemis said and held up a parchment in a field of view so that we could also see the pod that held Makoto, "See here, when you align these points. I believe this is an incantation."

"Some sort of magic did this?" Minako asked, astonished, "This… thing, whatever it is?"

"This looks organic, though." Jadeite added, "Like it grew here."

"I'm sure it did." Artemis answered, "It's some form of very complicated plant life, no doubt, but nothing earthly. It seems to thrive of the life energy of humanoids which it then converts into its own unique power source."

"Unbelievable." Ami said with a sense of fearful awe.

"Whatever power it's sapping away from Makoto is causing the _Gemini _to hover where we found it." Artemis explained, "That is why she was abducted: to siphon off her energy and carry the ship over the ice."

"Can you get her out?" Minako asked hesitantly.

"Yes, but as soon as I do this plant life, creature, whatever you want to call it will start to die." Artemis replied factually.

"Then let's kill it." Minako ordered.

"Princess, as much as it pains me to say this…" Artemis said and drew in a heavy breath, "I believe we should wait to free her until we return to Elysion."

"What?" Ami and Minako both gasped. I was also taken by surprise at the statement.

"Consider the complexity of the powers at work here." Artemis explained, "Further study of this organism may yield answers to questions we have not even asked. It could offer deep, critical insight into the true nature of the Dark Kingdom's power."

"That is my friend in there." Minako gravely stated, "And this spawn of the Dark Kingdom is using her like oil burning in a lantern. I will not let her suffer for the sake of curiosity!"

"There's no outward sign that she even is suffering!" Artemis argued, "She's in a comatose state and most likely is unaware of what is happening."

"This isn't one of your research projects, Artemis!" Minako thundered at the Magus, "She's a human being and more than that she's a senshi!"

"I agree, my friend." I said stepping into the conversation, "I appreciate your position and willingness to aid our struggle, but in this case I must look past my curiosity to simple humanity."

"Well…" Artemis said, seeming to at least understand our position, but having no further interesting in debating, "If we take her out now this ship will crash to the ground like a rock, so I suggest we move to a safe area first."

"Agreed." I said and turned to Jadeite and the senshi, "Let's get this ship moving."

"It's my ship." Nephrite practically whispered from his position on the floor. He looked up at me with pleading eyes full of aimless sorrow, "Let me help."

It pained me greatly, but I simply turned away. Nephrite's head slumped down and if I had not known him better I thought he might weep as he did in Acheron, but on that horrible voyage his tears streamed from stress and a bottle of rum. Now Nephrite was just a tired, confused man much like me whose own actions he could not explain. I grieved for him.

The _Gemini_ was a massive vessel and to unfurl the sails took much longer than anticipated with a crew of only four. Slowly but surely the canvas caught the arctic breeze and the ship began to move and turn back towards the sea. Below in the cargo hold Artemis worked to free Makoto from the strange device that Nephrite had somehow created by finding hidden magic in the stars. As we floated over the thick sheets of ice that made up this dreary land I saw the _Cygnus_ sitting where we had left her. Nephrite managed to bring the _Gemini _here with only himself and the lately departed Lieutenant Skinner, but with our meager crew of four struggling to maintain the sails we could not spare a single person to sail the _Cygnus_ home. She would have to remain a tenant of the icy land until others could come and retrieve her, if at all.

After some time the ice floes gave way to open ocean again. As we pressed onward I felt the ship groan and shudder beneath me as the spell that kept the vessel aloft in the air weakened and broke. The tremendous hull of the _Gemini_ crashed down into the frigid waves of the sea. I held fast to the wheel and kept the course true. It took us three days to chase down and find the Gemini, but with the wind at our backs and the fantastic speed of the Golden Kingdom's flagship we saw the lights of our port city in view after only two days. I'm sure we were spotted far out at sea because Endymion, Serenity, Kunzite, and a contingent of guards were already waiting at the dock when we disembarked from the _Gemini_.

"Master." I greeted Endymion with a bow and he returned my usual greeting with a bear hug. I worked my right arm, which had pinned to my chest, around his back and embraced him with a smile.

"Almost a week." Endymion said referring to the length of our voyage, "A week with no word and I wanted you back that same night."

"I'm sorry to have worried you, Master." I apologized, "There were… developments."

Endymion nodded and moved to where Nephrite stood. His head was bowed; his beard was starting show for not having been maintained for a week. He was no longer bound by Minako's enchanted bonds, but he also did not look ready to sprint back aboard the ship and make for the arctic again. Indeed it looked to me as though Nephrite were utterly broken.

"Nephrite?" Endymion asked. The Shitennou remained silent, "Nephrite, look at me."

"No." Nephrite replied in a quiet, subdued voice.

"Lift your head." Kunzite ordered in his brusque manner, insulted by Nephrite's disobedience.

"I am no longer fit to look upon you, Master." Nephrite said dismally.

"I believe that's for me to decide, Nephrite." Endymion said with a hint of mirth, attempting desperately to reach his trusted friend, "Kunzite, take Nephrite back to his chambers."

"Master, are you sure that's wise?" Kunzite asked, startled at the King's request.

"And get him something to eat other than ship's rations." Endymion ordered without answering Kunzite, "I'll be along soon."

"Of course, Master." Kunzite said and led Nephrite away looking more like a prisoner than one of the Heavenly Kings of Elysion.

"What happened?" My Master asked as soon as the eldest Shitennou were out of earshot.

"I believe he was under some sort of spell." I explained what I knew, "Artemis discovered incantations and dark rituals recorded by Nephrite during his star-gazing. He abducted Sailor Jupiter as part of those rituals."

"Where is she?" Serenity asked with dread on her voice, "Is she…"

"She's still on the ship, resting." Minako assured her Princess, "She's extremely weak from the ordeal, but she'll be fine."

"Thank goodness." Serenity sighed with relief and I saw her hand wind around Endymion's, squeezing him lightly in an expression of joy.

"Why, by all that's holy did he do this?" The King asked, shaking his head in disbelief.

"There was… something." I said, stalling for the right words to describe what we saw, "A city; buried in the snow for ages."

"That far north?" Endymion asked with a puzzled look, "What was it?"

"It was familiar, master." Jadeite said looking as though he didn't believe the words on his lips, "Zoisite can attest to the feeling and Nephrite as well, if he's willing."

"I need more than this." Endymion pleaded, "The Silver Alliance will want details about the abduction of one of their representatives. What more can you tell me?"

"Only that the city was familiar to us." I replied, "It was as if we had been there before. We were overcome by a force, a presence that opened our minds to fragmented memories."

"What sort of memories?"

"It's difficult to say, Master." I confessed feeling somewhat less than effective in my role as my King's advisor, "It was clearer then, but now like trying to recall the events of a dream."

"The city seemed ancient." Ami chimed in apparently sensing my fatigue, "It was eroded by time, uninhabited, but the architecture bore a strong resemblance to that here in Elysion."

"And the Sun Cross." I said, remembering the relief carving fallen on the plaza, "We saw engravings of the Sun Cross. I can't imagine how they came to be in that forsaken place."

"Perhaps I should see this forsaken city for myself." Endymion thought, obviously flustered with our lack of coherent information.

"Master, I don't believe that would be wise." I warned my liege, "Jadeite and I, we… we fell into a delirium. I remember only small fragments, but I saw war. Death. _Our _deaths."

Jadeite shuddered at the words. Endymion seemed taken aback and even Serenity was shocked by what I said. I could scarcely believe it myself and though I wished I could recall more, the details would not come. Even as we were standing there a bold thought began to take shape, on that I did not relish.

"Well, perhaps after a good meal and time to rest we can make more sense of this." Endymion said as cheerfully as he could, "Come, let us return to the city. My guards will make sure Makoto is well-tended."

"Master, a moment with you alone?" I asked and Endymion nodded.

"Serenity, if you would accompany your friends I'll join you soon." Endymion said to the Moon Princess and she obliged him, walking with Minako and Ami while discussing the details our voyage with all the interest I'd ever seen a girl of such privilege show. Jadeite followed behind and glanced over his shoulder at me before turning a corner out of sight.

"Your apprehension is not lost on me, Zoisite." Endymion said before I had a chance to express it, "Whatever happened seems to be troubling you greatly."

"I wish I could explain, but it's all so hazy now." I told my Master regretfully, "I wanted to ask a favor of you."

"Of course."

"I would like to have an audience with…" the name caught in my through like a gag, "…Helios."

My Master was silent for a moment, obviously surprised by my request, "Helios?" He asked, "May I ask why, Zoisite?"

"I know my past relationship with him has been strained, shall we say." I said greatly understating my feelings for the shady priest, "But I believe his insight into matters such as these could be useful."

"His dwelling is not easy to find." Endymion said, "I'm sure you know the tales."

"I do."

"I would be lying if I said I had no reservations about this request." Endymion said and for a moment I thought he would deny me, "But if these events have led you to the conclusion that you must seek out Helios for aid I would be a fool to ignore the implications."

"Thank you, Master."

"It's very strange." Endymion said with a slight grin, "Helios comes and goes as he pleases. Even I do not fully understand the powers he controls." I nodded in spite of my natural inclination to sneer, "Serenity said Helios' mysterious ways reminded her of Princess Setsuna. She said they would likely be kindred spirits."

"Setsuna!" I gasped and recalled a thought that in the rapidity of the last few days had fallen completely by the wayside. I chastised myself brutally for my carelessness, "Master, curse me for a fool, I had forgotten!"

"You are certainly not a fool, Zoisite." Endymion replied, "You've forgotten what?"

"Princess Setsuna asked me to deliver a message to you before she departed." I hastily recalled, "She said _'You can't wait for the Silver Alliance to make the first move. The time has come to act.'_ And that you would know what it meant if you knew it was she who said it."

Endymion didn't say anything immediately. His eyes lost their focus on mine and it seemed as though was looking straight through me. It was unnerving to say the least, but at least my Master said: "Thank you, Zoisite."

"The message was cryptic." I stated, "You understood it?"

"Just some friendly advice." Endymion replied though his simple words belied a much deeper meaning, "From an old friend."

As we left the docks walking side-by-side I attempted to ascertain the meaning of Setsuna's message and my Master's strange reaction to it, but I didn't even know where to begin. Instead I refocused on my plan for the following day and resolved to be well-rested. I did not dealing with Helios on normal terms, so meeting on his terms would be a true test of my resolve. I decided it best to travel unarmed… just in case.

* * *

Helios' hermetic refuge was a temple located far from the Elysian capitol city. It was a small structure situated on a small rise in a field of green. Stretching out in front of the temple was a large reflecting pool bordered on both sides by lush gardens composed almost entirely of rose bushes. The path to Helios' temple was well-hidden and some say it was impossible to find unless Helios wanted you to find it. Indeed I recalled only Kunzite and Endymion himself ever traveling to the temple. In fact, I remember Kunzite telling us that he once walked two completely separate paths in opposite directions and still arrived at the temple in the same spot. If Helios did hold some power to choose who could find the way to his temple I had no doubt the length of difficulty of my journey was of his whim.

After arduous hikes up steep mountain switchbacks, waist-deep trudging through bogs, and having to slice my way through the twisted brambles of a pitch-black forest I finally found myself at a clearing where the Sun shone through the leaves and onto a bright, open meadow of green. Blue mountains rose up far in the distance. I heard the soft babble of a nearby brook that I could not see. Birdsong drifted by on a breeze that carried butterflies whose purpose, it seemed, was only to be blown about by the gentle wind. I was tired, thirsty, and wanted to collapse on the grass for a midday nap, but decided against it. Helios' temple stood clean and gleaming white in the sun ahead of me. I moved on.

Endymion had once told me that the enigmatic priest was served by two female nymphs called _maenads_ who tended to his needs and maintained the pristine temple grounds, but if they were about then they weren't making themselves known. I approached the reflecting pool and saw no one. I beheld my reflection: my hair was tangled with dry leaves and discolored at the ends from mud and grime. My suit was similarly tarnished. From the waist down my normally white attire was stained brown. It had been hell finding this place. I was not about to commit more time to simply waiting. I stalked up to the front of the temple with haste.

"Helios!" I shouted up at the temple, "Come out! I need to speak to you!"

Aside from the aforementioned rustling wind and birdsong I received no reply. I scanned the temple and the impeccably kept grounds again and saw nothing. My teeth clattered impatiently behind my lips.

"Helios!" I demanded forcefully, "I know you're here! Show yourself!"

Still the temple was silent. I was not of the same mind as Kunzite, who upon receiving no answer to his summons would storm into an abode unannounced. I began to pace back and forth in front of the few steps leading up to the arched doorway. I stopped and swung around again.

"Priest!" I called out a third time, aggravated beyond decorum, "Answer me!"

I waited for several moments again with no reply. I had nearly convinced myself to leave and admit to a day wasted in frivolous pursuit of the hermit when I heard footsteps within the temple. I saw him garbed in his white suit which seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. Helios appeared in the doorway; hands folded behind his back, and glowered at me as though I were a simple hawker peddling his wares.

"So you finally answer my call?" I asked him knowing full well my attitude was not respectful.

"If only to maintain the serenity of my temple." Helios answered equally, "Why are you here, Zoisite?"

"I need to ask you something." I said honestly and simply.

"I do not entertain guests." Helios replied, "And I offer counsel to no one but Endymion."

"And yet here I am standing before you in your home that is said to be unreachable." I retorted and I saw Helios' eyebrow shift uneasily at my words, "I would not come here if I had another avenue available to me, but as it is I believe you are the only man with the knowledge I seek."

"Do you seek this knowledge for yourself?" Helios asked with a sneer.

"For myself? Yes." I answered truthfully, "But only insofar as I cannot serve my Master Endymion to my fullest ability without the answer to my question."

Helios regarded me with his deep brown eyes for longer than I cared for, but at last he said: "Ask."

"Nephrite discovered a message hidden in the movements of the stars that placed a spell upon him." I told the priest, "He commandeered a ship and we chased him to the frozen north lands where we discovered a city buried in the ice and lost to time."

"Jadeite, Nephrite and I all felt the place familiar. We recalled certain details, names and events. We…" I hesitated for a moment, "We remembered sacrificing our lives in a great battle there."

Helios' gaze faltered for a moment telling me all I needed to know. He said: "The cold in that wasteland can sap a man's strength is seconds. Perhaps you were simply overtired and imagined it."

"Do not insult me, Helios." I barked, dropping what little respect I was maintaining, "The city bore sculptures and engravings of the Sun Cross." I pointed to the pendant he wore on his collar, "You know what this place was, now tell me!"

Helios sighed, obviously disappointed that my conviction was stronger than he anticipated. I could not tell if he was hiding truth from me, or if he simply believed that I was disturbing him. He acquiesced, "I will tell you what I can, but even I do not remember everything."

"Then I will settle for what you do remember." I agreed.

"You know the stories of the far-off past?" Helios asked, less of a question and more a preface, "You know of the ancient time called the Golden Millennium?" I nodded my understanding, "During the Golden Millennium the planets were at peace and the center of our Solar System's culture was not the Moon as it is today, but a gleaming, white-gold city called Elysion."

"Elysion?" I questioned, "That's impossible, Helios. Elysion did not exist in the Golden Millennium."

"Not as you know it today, but Elysion did exist." The priest continued, "It was there the great philosophers and poets met. The scientists of every planet studied together in the great libraries. It was idyllic and the planets were under the protection of the sacred Golden Crystal."

He continued: "But jealousy and infighting grew among the planets when the _senshi _awoke. In those days before the senshi were united as they are now they lived only to fight each other. The planets were torn apart by war. Earth became one of the primary battlegrounds because of the importance of the Golden Crystal. Because the Earth had no senshi it was assumed that the Crystal was a power source that could be seized and so many armies attacked Elysion attempting to claim it for their own."

"I recalled one of those attacks." I told Helios, "I remembered it vividly and I remembered …" I paused, still trying to wrap my mind around the memory, "I remember dying at that battle."

"Because you did." Helios said and my heart felt like a lead weight, "The Shitennou gave their lives valiantly in defense of the city. I was one of the few defenders of Elysion left when the great silence came."

"The great silence?" I asked, shuddering in dread at the sound.

"Something happened that halted the advance of the armies." Helios said distantly, "Something I don't remember, that no one remembers. It was a catastrophe, perhaps a weapon of colossal power, but in the aftermath no planet claimed responsibility for putting such a brutal end to the wars. The Earth was very nearly destroyed. The energy released shifted the planet's axis, which is why the ruins of Elysion were buried beneath the mountains of ice far to the north."

He continued: "The Golden Crystal was so significantly weakened by the attack that the quarreling planets no longer thought it worthy of conquest. I retreated to the safest place I could find on the burning, devastated planet and watched as the Crystal slowly regained its power. In time the Earth healed, water flowed, plants grew, and the Shitennou who were bound to the Golden Crystal and its Master were given physical form again to continue with their great work."

"I don't…" I stalled, overwhelmed, "I don't remember _any_ of this."

"Why should you?" Helios asked with an unexpected smile, "In many ways the great silence was a rebirth for this planet. While the rest of the solar system struggled to rebuild and come to terms with the atrocity of their wars the Earth was given a chance to start fresh and anew."

"Why have I never heard of this before?" I demanded, "An event of this magnitude surely does not go unnoticed by scholars."

"You must remember that this was ages ago, Zoisite." Helios stressed, "And even with the histories and records that still exist from the Golden Millennium I said no planet would admit responsibility for the great silence that nearly destroyed our world. The destruction was so absolute that no scholar, regardless of guilt, would have recorded it simply out of the pain of the words he would have to write."

"But why was Nephrite led to that ruined city?" I asked coming back to the root of my question, "Why now? And how, if this event was never recorded, would the Dark Kingdom know of it?"

"Unfortunately these are answers I do not have." Helios said with a disappointed shrug.

Somehow I knew those answers would not come from the High Priest of Elysion, however what the enigmatic Helios had told me was more than I could have hoped to learn otherwise. Now knowing the terrible things he had seen, the long silence he endured and his eternal vigil guarding the Golden Crystal my temperament towards him softened somewhat.

"Thank you." I said with the utmost sincerity, odd as it felt to say. I then turned to leave the temple grounds.

"Zoisite!" Helios called out from behind me, I turned back, "I know you think me disrespectful and resent the spiritual connection I share with Endymion." The hairs on my neck curled slightly and I clenched my fist at the statement, "But I want you to know that I envy you."

"Me?" I asked, "The Shitennou?"

"No, you." The priest said directly, "Endymion places great trust in you. What is more, you are with him nearly every moment of every day. I would give anything for the chance to serve him in that way, but alas I am bound to my duties here."

"I'm sure the temple would survive a few days on its own if you wanted to visit." I said to him.

"This temple is more than brick and mortar." Helios said as cryptically as ever, "But I thank you for the offer." Helios paused and then, incredibly, gave a slight bow, "Farewell, Zoisite. Your visit was not… unpleasant."

"Farewell." I answered the priest, leaving with at least some of the knowledge I sought, but more questions than I cared for and a newfound, if grudging respect for the timeless High Priest of Elysion.


	23. Interlude 3

**INTERLUDE**

Zoisite's story seemed to be almost too incredible to be true; a yarn spun only to entertain and delay, but despite Luna's skeptic nature she heard a ring of truth about it. The Golden Millennium was not a common topic of discussion on the Moon for many reasons, chief among them being that it was simply an unpleasant thing to talk about. The wars her Shitennou host had spoken of were gratuitous in violence, no question, and despite humanity's natural inclination towards enlightenment Luna often found the citizens of the Silver Alliance to be somewhat blind to atrocity. It felt as though sometimes those among the regal courts of the Moon who professed to be wisest adopted an attitude about such things best described as "don't ask, don't tell."

"Luna?" the mighty King asked and broke her from her trance.

"Oh, forgive me." Luna apologized at once, "My mind was wandering of its own accord."

"How very strange of you to say that." Zoisite said with a leery smile, "If I were to draw a central theme from my latest tale I would say it is to keep firm control over your mind, lest that control be usurped by another."

"Your words have not been wasted on me." She assured her host, "Were you ever able to discover how the Dark Kingdom was able to affect Nephrite through his star-message?"

"Like any message written in code." He answered succinctly, "All that was necessary was for our enemy to substitute stars for syllables. I'm sure it was a tiresome task, but the stamina of those creatures is amazing to me even now."

"What did the Dark Kingdom hope to accomplish by leading you to that lost city?" Luna asked hoping not to dredge up any more painful memories from the King.

"They succeeded in arousing our suspicions." Zoisite answered grimly, "There is nothing quite so fractious within a nation or a band of brothers than suspicion."

"How so?"

"When I returned to my Master Endymion with the information Helios provided it caused… instability." He hissed the word almost as though it tasted sour to his tongue, "Nephrite could tell us no more than we already knew, claiming almost a sort of amnesia about the whole experience. Jadeite and I, being the most deeply affected, were at odds with Kunzite who assumed the whole ordeal to be a ruse by the Dark Kingdom to distract us from our true goal: entry into the Silver Alliance."

"And what was Endymion's position?"Luna asked and Zoisite's face turned downward.

"That, unfortunately, proved to be the source of the greatest unrest within our small brotherhood." The Shitennou answered wearily as his eyes fell upon the center of the city, "After I finally delivered Setsuna's cryptic message my Master became reclusive, not to any extreme, but enough for us all to notice."

He continued, "He began requesting our help with tasks through messengers instead of in person, something he never did. At our meetings he was quiet and reserved, listening more than speaking. I could feel that he was isolating himself from us, but for what reason I couldn't be certain."

"Setsuna is a strange and mystical creature." Luna reminded him, trying to alleviate any suspicions on his part, "But to my Queen her words can carry the greatest weight. Whatever her message entailed I'm sure it was to Endymion's great benefit."

"In time I understood her message." Zoisite surprisingly revealed, "But it came at the cost of the Shitennou's trust. If I had the power to turn back time I would stop myself from ever delivering those damnable words, but…" His temper flared briefly and then quietly abated, "… I suspect even a miracle like that would be in vain."

"I don't understand what you mean."

"My master finally revealed the need for his isolation and secrecy when the peace talks with the Silver Alliance officially began." Zoisite explained, "What he said set in motion the events that have been unfurling to this very meeting."

"You mean…" Luna knew instinctively what Zoisite was referring to.

"Travel between the Earth and the Moon has always been restricted, but only recently was it outlawed completely." Zoisite said in a grim voice, "The people of the Earth have always held some level of animosity towards your people, but never the outright hatred that has erupted."

"Zoisite, I understand how you can perceive these events, but you must know it is Queen Beryl playing off the fears of your own people to feed their hatred!" Luna pleaded hoping the Shitennou would see the perspective of her lunar Queen."

"I know Queen Beryl's influence has spread." Zoisite confirmed, "But the catalyst of this final confrontation came when Endymion revealed to the world what only we, the Shitennou, had known until that moment."

"His courtship of Princess Serenity." Luna said with a heavy heart.

"No." Zoisite replied with a sort of sad delight, "His _love_ of Princess Serenity."


	24. Chapter 19, The Council of Elysion

**NINETEEN**

**The Council of Elysion**

Nephrite was at war with himself as anyone could plainly see. Endymion had barely even admonished his wayward retainer following the disastrous events of the past week. The fact alone that he was allowed to continue to act and offer advice in his capacity as one of the Shitennou caused endless debate among the citizens of the Golden Kingdom. Between the two sailors found drowned and the attack on Elysion's port thirty six sailors, merchants, laborers, and family men were killed. Dozens more were wounded, some of whom lost the use of arms, legs or eyes. Those rapt, jubilant masses who once revered the burly Shitennou as their great defender now feared his glowering gaze. Whispers began to spread in the dark alleys and taverns that Endymion's infatuation with his visitors from the Moon was clouding his judgment.

Jadeite too, I felt, was withdrawn more than I had ever seen. The normally outgoing, exuberant King was awkwardly silent even in private where before his tongue would often dance about with fanciful tales and off-color humor. I had not been able to speak to him about his experience on Mars, but as I related to Endymion, Kunzite and Nephrite the information I had obtained from Helios about that ruined city in the ice I saw Jadeite's eyes grow dim and fall. The last few weeks had been hard on us all, but Nephrite and Jadeite seemed to be suffering the most. I was not faring my best, truth be told. Between the pursuit of Nephrite and my brief surge of passion with Princess Ami I was feeling extremely unfocused and that was unwelcome given the situation I now found myself in.

"Friends…" My Master Endymion said with all the warmth and sincerity I expected from him, "It seems like ages ago that we first met; very nearly strangers standing by the Astral Gate." He looked around the room and smiled, "We have been tested, and we have felt our share of tragedy." He looked in the direction of Nephrite whose head was bowed away from the King, "But now we have come together, finally, and I say to our honored guests from the Silver Alliance as truly as I did on the day you arrived: Welcome to Elysion."

Princess Minako rose from her seat to answer: "We thank you for your gracious hospitality, King Endymion. It is true that we have endured many trials, but it is with renewed fervor that we gather today in a spirit of hope and cooperation."

"Well said." Endymion agreed and picked up his gilded goblet. The Shitennou and Senshi followed his lead and we all stood to join him, wine in hand, "Let us drink to the swift success of this council, to the health of Queen Serenity, and to the long-sought peace among our worlds."

"To peace!" The room chanted and we drank.

"As King of the Golden Kingdom of Elysion I formally petition this council to permit entry of the Planet Earth into the protection of the Silver Millennium and request full membership and privileges as a sovereign ally of the Silver Alliance." Endymion said with a smile, "The floor is open."

Not unexpectedly applause rang throughout the chamber from the assembled delegates. It was not planned, nor was it a common occurrence during a state meeting such as this, but it seemed appropriate considering many of us never thought this day would come. Hearing our King's words was heartwarming and even the dejected Nephrite raised his head to see the jubilant expression of our Master.

"As a matter of formality I must ask the representatives of the Silver Alliance to vote in favor or against hearing the King's petition." Minako said, firmly establishing herself as the spokeswoman of her Alliance, "All those in favor raise your hand." The hands of the assembled Senshi rose in the air. I could not help the smile I wore, "I have been authorized to vote in favor for those planets not represented here."

"Queen Serenity has waited a long time to welcome the Earth into the Alliance." Princess Serenity said warmly and Endymion met her gaze with a smile.

"Yes, but there are issues that must be addressed before a final decision can be made, princess." Minako warned, "Chief among them is the threat of the Dark Kingdom."

"What does the Alliance ask of us?" Kunzite offered.

"As a member of the Silver Alliance we would be bound by our duty and honor to come to the aid of a planet in strife." Minako said earnestly, "However, the Earth's current petition could be seen as one of convenience now that you are besieged by this enemy."

"We have been petitioning the Alliance for membership for a hundred years before we knew the Dark Kingdom existed!" Jadeite jumped at the accusation, "We have been told for generations that we're not ready, that Earthlings are too passionate and undisciplined. The Alliance's constant refusal has only increased the animosity of the public against the Moon and its allies."

"That is true, but you can appreciate our position." Ami said studiously, "What guarantee does our Queen have that upon defeat of the Dark Kingdom the Earth would not simply secede from the Alliance?"

"Guarantee?" Kunzite barked, offended, "She has the guarantee of our word. She has the guarantee of trust in King Endymion, whom she raised like a son, that this planet is worthy enough to stand equal with the rest of our Solar System."

"Agreed." Minako granted, "However, in light of recent events and especially the Dark Kingdom's infiltration of one of Endymion's own Shitennou we feel that words and trust may not be enough to ensure a lasting commitment."

"_We_ do not feel?" Nephrite boldly asked, surprising the assembled council, "Or _you_ do not feel?"

"I beg your pardon?" Minako balked.

"Is it truly the opinion of the council that we are not to be trusted, or just yours, princess?" Nephrite demanded as his eyes squinted, "Is it just you, because it was your friend who was hurt by my actions and because you were not able to dole out your personal justice?"

"This is uncalled for, General." Minako snapped, "We are discussing the future of an entire world, not our own petty squabbles."

"There is nothing petty about an enemy that can conquer minds from a distance through messages no ordinary man can see!" Nephrite shouted and slammed his fist on the table, "I have felt what it is like to be under the curtain of the Dark Kingdom!"

"I don't see what this has to do with—"

Nephrite cut her off: "How will they strike us next? What other secrets do they know that not even the great scholars of the Silver Alliance remember?"

"These aren't questions that should be asked of this council." Minako attempted to end the debate.

"I think they should be." The quiet, restrained voice of Makoto spoke.

"What?" Minako gasped at her friend, breaching the etiquette of the state function.

"Let him talk, Mina." Her friend urged and Makoto's eyes fell on Nephrite, eyes that held no grudge or ill will and only empathy.

Nephrite's own gaze seemed to silently communicate his thanks to the young woman who he had so recently abducted and used as little more than a magical battery. Minako relented and nodded for the Shitennou to continue.

"If the Silver Alliance is so convinced that the Earth will abandon its treaties once the Dark Kingdom is defeated then truly this world is not understood." Nephrite argued, "We have fought many wars, killed each other for generations, but it is the threat of the Dark Kingdom that united us at last."

Nephrite continued, "We fight with men and they create youma to terrorize us. We build an army ten thousand strong; they raise a force of twenty thousand. We try to fight them with magic fire and alchemy, they invade our very minds." Nephrite's words were heavy with truth and every ear in the room twitched with force of his voice. "The Dark Kingdom is more powerful than we know and we have fought them long on our own. The Golden Kingdom shrinks every day as we lose soldiers and as the Dark Kingdom burns villages and enslaves good people with their black magic. If your Silver Alliance is so sure that the Earth is untrustworthy ask them what will happen when we are gone and the Dark Kingdom is free to spread to all of your planets, unchecked and uncontrolled."

"You believe the Earth is protecting us from the Dark Kingdom?" Minako asked and almost did not contain her laughter, "The Silver Alliance has powerful armies from every planet in the Solar System, not to mention the Senshi who watch over them. We are well protected by our own means."

"Then send your army here and help us!" Nephrite cried out in anger, "Show _us_ that the Alliance is willing to trust the people of this planet _before_ we are destroyed. We have beseeched you, sent ambassadors to you, offered tributes and pledged our support for centuries." Nephrite balled up his fists and slammed the table, _"What more do you want from us?"_

There was silence in the council for several moments as Nephrite's question echoed off the stone and in our minds. The conflicted King reclaimed his seat with a slump and closed his eyes, leaning back against the head rest with a weary sigh.

"Master." I said, standing to address Endymion, "While I do not always approve of Nephrite's direct manner of debate, I must agree with his assessment." I smiled at my forlorn companion not knowing if he noticed.

"As do I." Jadeite intoned, joining me, "We assembled this council at a desperate time on our planet, but we have been seeking acceptance for generations. In the past the Kingdom of the Moon styled itself as guardian of our world, lording over us and protecting us from threats beyond the Earth, waiting and watching as we evolved from our barbaric ancestors. We have reached the point where we can say, as a people, _'ENOUGH!'_ We do not want to be watched or guarded. We want to part of the community of worlds within the Alliance."

"Kunzite?" King Endymion asked for his eldest advisor's input.

"I am of the same mind, my King." He agreed as well, "We have no treasures to offer. We have no great innovations or inventions. We barely have an army strong enough to stave off the enemy that now threatens our very existence. We have only our strong will as human beings to do what is necessary as a member of the Silver Alliance."

"If my Shitennou are in agreement then I must accept their counsel." Endymion said with a smile focused in our direction, "Nephrite's question stands as a worthy point of debate. What, exactly, does the Silver Alliance request as proof of our commitment?"

"Love." Minako said curtly.

"Love?" My Master echoed.

"The Queen wants only love to prevail in this Alliance." Minako stated, "No jealousy, no bigotry, no hatred, no backstabbing, subterfuge, manipulation or betrayal. An act of love, honest and true." Minako cast her glance at the table in front of Kunzite, "A love founded on trust and not simply passion."

"How are we expected to profess love to an Alliance that has spurned our entry for ages?" I asked and my eyes traveled on their own accord to where Ami sat. She looked down and away.

"The people of this planet are not so different than any other." Rei spoke for the first time, having returned from Mars only this morning, "They have their passions, fears, and hopes. However, the Earth has what every other planet in the Alliance lacks."

"What is that, princess?" Endymion asked expectantly.

"You have the opportunity to change before it is forced upon you by tragedy." Rei said and I could see Jadeite's eyes clench with the discomfort of her words, "The Silver Alliance was born after centuries of conflict when this Solar System had nearly torn itself apart through war and hatred. We learned through costly, deadly mistakes how to better ourselves, but the Earth was given a chance to start clean again." We all drew parallels from Rei's story to that of the one Helios told me of the end of the Golden Millennium and the great silence, "Queen Serenity and the Moon Kingdom wanted to ensure that the people of the Earth would not grow into suspicion, doubt, and jealousy. That is why the Moon watched over the Earth for so long."

"But now your people are divided and their hatred has become amplified by the Dark Kingdom." Minako added to her companion's argument, "Queen Serenity and the rest of the Alliance believes that unless a precedent is set the Earth will fall into chaos, just as our planets did so many ages ago."

"How can we set a precedent of love and peace when we are on the verge of destruction?" Nephrite asked with a growl, "These are only words and words being spun in yet another shroud to pull over our eyes."

"Nephrite!" Endymion warned the belligerent King and he bowed apologetically.

"Even here in these chambers your people are divided, Endymion." Minako addressed the King, "Even if we were to send an army and cleanse the planet of the Dark Kingdom, would your people still be so divided? Would they see us as their salvation or simply a Dark Kingdom of a different sort?"

"The Dark Kingdom is a very real threat, Princess." Kunzite spoke, "The fact remains that if the Alliance wishes to judge our people fairly they must do so when we are not fighting for our lives."

"Perhaps it is best if we consider what we have discussed over a recess." Endymion interrupted, stood, and we all joined him. I was thankful for the diffusion of the rapidly escalating debate, "I ask only that we remain within the grounds of these council chambers. We will reconvene after our midday meal."

The Shitennou and Senshi began to move out of the room when Jadeite whispered to me, "Thank goodness for that. This council is a veritable powder keg."

"I did not expect this to be easy." I admitted my frustration to my younger companion, "However, this request of a show of honest love on behalf of our planet is simply ludicrous."

"I would honestly love it if they sent just one infantry unit to help us against the Dark Kingdom." Jadeite said with a grin, "Perhaps what they want is for one of us to marry one of their princesses?"

"So you can claim marriage to Princess Rei as nothing more than a political ploy?" I asked jokingly, "That would preserve your reputation as Elysion's resident Casanova."

"I was thinking perhaps you and Ami could settle down to a nice pre-arranged marriage in a crater on Mercury and discuss fascinating things like grammar and ethics until you die of mutual boredom." Jadeite answered with a devilish grin.

"No, I doubt a prearranged marriage is what the Alliance is looking for." I mused, trying my best to come up with some sort of honest appeal, "There is simply no love for the Alliance on this planet. Why should there be? They have flaunted their status over us and denied our petitions for years."

"You don't think…" Jadeite began and then immediately shook the thought away, "No. No."

"What?"

"No, it's… well…" The young King came very close and whispered, "You don't suppose it has something to do with Queen Serenity herself, do you?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, completely lost at the question.

"Think about it." Jadeite said suggestively, "An _act _of love? Could it be that maybe the Queen is, perhaps, looking for someone to…" Jadeite's lips trembled, "…please her?"

I did not dignify my companion's ridiculous theory with a response. I simply glared at him for a moment and began walking away.

"Don't think for a second that it didn't cross your mind!" Jadeite called behind me.

It did, for the briefest of seconds, but he would never know that. The damn rascal succeeded yet again in leading my mind down a path I normally never would have gone. I was feeling restless and emotionally frustrated. I turned a corner and began to backtrack down an adjoining hallway so as to avoid Jadeite.

I wanted to see Ami.

* * *

"Nephrite?"

The weary Shitennou drew his eyes to the doorway of his small sitting room. He was surprised to see Princess Makoto standing there. She was dressed in a fine flowing gown of dark green. The skin of her shoulders was bare and she wore no jewelry around her slender neck. Her chestnut curls draped lazily around her and bounced as she moved. She looked strong and powerful even though she was dressed to accentuate her feminine qualities. She walked into the room and sat down opposite Nephrite on a chair and gathered her dress around her.

"Princess." The King greeted her flatly.

"I want you to know that I don't hold any sort of ill will against you." The Jovian told her antisocial companion, "I thought long and hard about it while I was recovering my strength. My natural tendencies would be towards retribution, but I know now that you were not in control of yourself."

"I was in enough control to take pleasure in what I was doing." Nephrite told her and the Princess' skin began to crawl.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked him.

"I mean I poisoned you, abducted you and used you against your will." Nephrite explained in a detached monotone, "I knew what I was doing." Nephrite's tone suddenly spiked as though he were confessing a sin, "And I _enjoyed_ it."

"But the Dark Kingdom had cast a spell on you." Makoto reminded him, "Surely you know that."

"I know that I found a message hidden in the stars." Nephrite confirmed, "I know that I heard the recipe in my head to brew the sedative. I know I saw the route to the north in the movements of the heavens. I know I was given the knowledge of how to siphon away your energy, but…" Nephrite stalled for a moment and looked Makoto in the eye, "I did those things, Princess."

"Because of the spell."

"I'm not so sure of that." Nephrite said and unexpectedly grinned, though it was more from the futility of questioning the events any further, "I should have been able to stop myself. It was just like… the last time…"

"The last time?" Makoto asked, concerned, "This happened before?"

"I have not spoken of it since." Nephrite said and looked away.

Makoto felt that she needed to get the Shitennou to open up to her. She only wanted to deliver her message, that she held no animosity, but something inside insisted she stay and try to reach Nephrite. The other Princesses had, in good fun, dubbed her the "den mother" of their fellowship. Perhaps it was simply part of her nature, but Makoto did not like isolation in any form and she could see Nephrite drawing away from his companions with each passing moment.

"Tell me." She practically begged him.

"On a voyage some weeks before you arrived." Nephrite told her, "I lost eight good sailors to a sneak attack. I pursued the attacking ship; got the information I needed and found the captain." Nephrite's eyes were wet, but the Shitennou would not permit himself to cry, "I murdered him in cold blood even though his only crime was ignorance." Nephrite cocked his head at her, "I killed that man for what he did and as I watched his life bleed away I felt _righteous_ in my actions."

There it was! A chance to connect with a kindred soul! She had to try to reach him.

"There was an incident in my home system many years ago." Makoto told him, "A group of fanatics from around the Solar System gathered on the moon Callisto. They believed the asteroid belt that separates the inner and outer planets was the remains of an ancient world that was destroyed eons ago and that they were descendents of a lost tribe of humanity from that world. The fanatics wanted Queen Serenity to use the _ginzuishou _to restore the planet, but of course the Queen could not grant such a request."

Nephrite didn't speak. He didn't nod or in any way acknowledge that he was listening. Makoto noticed his hand had moved to his pocket and retrieved something that he was rolling between his fingers. It looked like a green stone of some kind.

The Princess continued on in spite of him, "As the guardian Senshi of Jupiter I was tasked with quelling the fanatics before they became dangerous, but I was too late. Their leader took hostages and threatened to sacrifice them to something he called the _galaxy cauldron_, one at a time, until the phantom planet was restored. When I finally tracked him down his fervor and zealotry affected me in ways I couldn't have imagined. I did not share his beliefs, but I was driven to profound rage at what he had done. The lives of his followers were as directionless as his own. The lives of his hostages would forever be scarred by that event. I tore through the few guards he had around him and then got my hands on the man himself."

"What did you do?" Nephrite asked, suddenly interested.

"I killed him." Makoto said firmly, without hesitation, "And much like you, I _liked _it."

"I doubt that sat well with your angelic Queen." Nephrite mumbled. The stone in his gland gave off a pale jade luminescence.

"I had never felt so exhilarated." The Jovian told him proudly, "I felt powerful, unstoppable even. I was still young at the time, still learning the ways of the Senshi. My friends like to think it was my inexperience that saved me, but I know in my heart it was what I felt the next day. I felt hungry, a strange empty hunger. I wanted to do it again. I had never thought that I was capable of such thoughts, but darkness overtook me like a thirst that could only be quenched in blood."

"You felt that a different part of you was in control." Nephrite said speaking from experience and Makoto nodded at him. The Shitennou thought for a moment and asked, "It's obvious to me that this darkness no longer controls you."

"No, in time I mastered it." Makoto replied, "I learned how to use it for a better cause."

"How?"

"By accepting that it was there." She told him very simply, "You had a similar experience, Nephrite, but you're denying yourself control. You have to let go of that part of you that wants to suppress your dark tendencies. It's the only way you will ever be able to master them."

"The Dark Kingdom plays off my volatile nature." Nephrite confessed, "Twice now they've done this to me and I've been helpless. Master Endymion has every right to dismiss me from his sight, but he is as stubborn as he is compassionate."

"Endymion knows you were not in control of yourself." Makoto told him, "But you must learn to control your darker urges or one day the Dark Kingdom may very well attempt to use them for their benefit again."

"I'm not like Zoisite." Nephrite told her with a half-hearted grin, "I can't solve matters of the head and heart with anything but a good sword." He rolled the stone around in his hand, "Whichever part is broken I can just cut it out."

"I can help you." Makoto told him with a gentle smile, "It's not easy and it can sometimes be very painful to face your darkest taboos, but I will offer my aid."

"Why?" Nephrite asked, completely shocked by this woman's desire to even be in the same room with him.

"Because no one was there to help me." Makoto told him, "I don't want anyone to have to go through that alone."

Nephrite pondered her for a moment before saying: "You are remarkably strong, Princess." He reached out and clasped one of her hands in his. She expected his touch to be icy and dry, but he was warm, "Accepting aid does not come easily to me."

"It doesn't come easily to me, either." She assured him, "But giving it… that's a different matter entirely."

"I accept." He said, practically stunning her.

Makoto could find no words to express her gratitude. This was not only to be a healing process for Nephrite, but for her as well. Each time she could lend aid to anyone in distress it somehow made the burden of her own insecurities seem lighter. Makoto delighted in the chance to mend the wayward Shitennou's damaged spirit. It would be a challenge, but a worthwhile one. She could tell Nephrite was a good, if terrifically obstinate man.

"Just promise you won't poison me again." She quipped to her new acquaintance.

Nephrite laughed and pocketed his little stone bauble. Progress already.

* * *

"Can we talk?" Jadeite asked as he approached Princess Rei who was standing near a window looking off into the cloudless sky.

"I was hoping we could." She smiled back to him.

"I thought about what you told me on Mars while Minako was chewing us out." Jadeite said with a slight grin, "I can see why you wanted to get me to change my mind about waging wars and fighting to try to keep our society intact."

"I told you, I'm sorry." Rei apologized again, albeit in an annoyed manner, "I didn't mean to be presumptuous."

"It's not that." Jadeite explained, "It's just… I'm not sure what I feel." He paced around her. Rei had noticed his tendency to move when he talked and it infuriated her, "I can see both sides of the argument, but nothing seems to meet in the middle like it should."

"Could you stop?" She asked him.

"Rei, this is important to me." Jadeite answered, hurt by her remark.

"No, I mean stop moving." She stressed and grabbed him by the shoulders to stand him still, "Your pacing drives me crazy."

"Oh." He said and looked around for a chair. Finding none he pressed his back against the wall and slid down to a sitting position, "Is this better?"

"Much." Rei answered and continued staring out the window.

Jadeite watched her for a moment and hesitated to question her, "Do you see something interesting out there?"

"Nothing in particular." She answered him.

"Well…" Jadeite said slowly and patted the stone floor next to him, "Care to join me?"

"I've been sitting all day." The Princess said with a roll of her eyes.

"Not with _me_." Jadeite reminded her, trying his best to win her over with puppy dog eyes.

"Jadeite, I don't think that would be appropriate." Rei told him.

"But what we did the last time we were on a floor together was?" He asked suggestively.

"Stop it." She ordered roughly and turned away from him.

"Is there something I should know about, Princess?" Jadeite asked angrily, "When we parted ways on Mars we had a mutual understanding that what happened between us was more than uncontrolled hormones and a bottle of wine."

"_Two_ bottles of wine." She corrected him.

"I assume your mother convinced you after I left that your duty to your planet and the Alliance was more important than a lowly earth creature?" Jadeite asked dismissively.

"Perhaps I convinced myself." Rei suggested with a sneer, "Jadeite, I am to be crowned Queen of my planet when I return after this council. In addition I am also a Senshi, honor bound to serve Queen Serenity and the Silver Alliance."

"So?"

"So?" Rei repeated and her face flushed red, "So? That's your question? _SO? _Do you have any idea how baseless and idiotic that question is?"

"Why don't you enlighten me?" Jadeite replied indignantly, testing the limits of her temper.

"I don't know what my life is going to become in the next few weeks." Rei explained, "As a Princess I hardly have time for myself. As a Queen I am sure to have none. Jadeite, I'm not willing to risk the failure of a romance over this."

"Maybe I am." Jadeite said sternly and stood up to join her, "Maybe I'm willing to endure the schedules and the diplomatic missions and endless hours of debate." Jadeite saw her gaze drifting so he followed her eyes and stepped in front of them, "Maybe I have a say in this too."

"Jadeite…" she began and the Shitennou placed a finger over her lips.

"You're not going to get rid of me by saying you'll be too busy." He said with a wink.

Rei couldn't help herself from laughing. Jadeite was truly the only person who could make her laugh. It was so strange, yet felt so natural. She moved towards the imposing king and wrapped her arms around his waist. He pulled her close and sighed.

"That's better." He said calmly.

"Much." She replied.

* * *

I had found Ami in one of the small sitting rooms attached to the council chambers. When I approached she practically leapt into my arms. We tumbled backwards onto a couch and lay there in our embrace for so long that we forgot the time. I was content not to speak. I knew the time was fast approaching when we would have to rejoin our respective comrades in the council, but I didn't want to let her go. I felt that if I did she might be caught up in the debate and taken away from me.

"Something occurred to me today." Ami said quietly, "If the council denies the Earth's entry into the Silver Alliance then I will have to depart."

"I don't want to think about that." I told her honestly, simply relaxing and enjoying the fact that we were alone.

"But I have." She told me, "I've been trying to think of ways that I might still be able to see you, but I have to admit I've never been as good as Serenity at sneaking away unnoticed."

"The council will vote to accept us into the Alliance and we will be able to come and go as we please." I told her, looking up into her huge blue eyes from where I lay with my head resting against her bosom, "You can show me those magnificent underground cities you told me about."

"Unfortunately I'm drawn to a more logical conclusion." Ami said sorrowfully, "I can't help but think that this council, for all we have been through together, will still not end in your favor."

"Ami…" I said as I sat up and took her hands in mine, "I don't care about what the council decides. At this moment I don't care about the Silver Alliance, the Dark Kingdom, the other Shitennou or even my Master Endymion." I stretched the truth for the sake of sounding romantic, but it was not far off, "I don't want to think about anything right now but being here with you in this room where no one else in the universe has to matter."

"That is…" The Princess' lips couldn't articulate the correct words, "Zoisite, no one has ever said something like that to me before."

"And I've never had occasion to say that about anyone before you." I told her, "I only wish I could have met you in times of peace."

She bent over and kissed me. The feel of her soft lips against mine was as warm, tender, and electrifying as the first time back in Artemis' laboratory.

"Maybe when all this is over and we have that time of peace again we'll be able to make up for how we met." She suggested sweetly.

"I'd like that."

* * *

Later that day the council reassembled to another toast by Endymion. I could see in the eyes of my Master that he had something weighing heavily on his mind. It seemed that all the assembled delegates perceived it as well for they all waited expectantly for him to open the floor to debate again.

"An alliance is forged from trust." He began eloquently, "Trust is the basis of cooperation. Cooperation forms the foundation of friendship. Friendship can lead to many things, greatest of all being love." Endymion caught the Shitennou in his gaze, "I love my Four Heavenly Kings as only I could. They call me Master, but truly they are my brothers. I trust them, they are my friends and I love them as fully as I could if they were my own flesh and blood."

The four of us were heartened by Endymion's words if somewhat embarrassed. He then turned to the Senshi.

"I also love my people and I love this planet. As keeper of the Golden Crystal I alone bear a sacred responsibility to maintain the natural order of the Earth. I love the plants and animals of the Earth, the woods, rivers, oceans and mountains. Most of all I love life itself."

Minako's brow rose at his words, wondering where the King was taking this speech.

"But love of one's brothers, one's kingdom and one's planet cannot compare to what is felt between two people whose souls are bound together by the bonds of true, undying love." He reached out to take Princess Serenity's hand. She stood with him and we all reactively rose from our seats, "I _love_ Princess Serenity with my _whole_ heart. If the Silver Alliance seeks an act of pure, honest love from my world then let it be this."

Endymion stooped to one knee in front of the Princess and took her hands in his, "Princess Serenity, will you return my love and be my wife?"

"YES!" She practically screamed and embraced the King, sobbing tears from her eyes.

There was a hush in the room and then a roar. This was no roar of elation, however, no din of applause and congratulations. No, this was the clamor of angry voices screaming in a room that amplified and echoed each curse and swear. Endymion and Serenity were stunned at the scene. Kunzite looked practically feral and I heard Minako accuse him of planning all of this behind her back. Nephrite threw his lot in with Kunzite fueling the rage of both Rei and Makoto. Jadeite tried his best to mediate, but was caught up in the fray. I saw Ami rest her head in her palms and heard a defeated sigh.

My Master's grand declaration and the Princess' eagerness to confirm their act of love which was meant to unite our people served only to divide all loyalties further. The Council of Elysion which was begun in a spirit of hope and cooperation now seemed to conclude in bitter rivalry and hopelessness. I leaned back in my chair as the Senshi and Shitennou cut into each other with vicious words. I saw the slender crescent of the moon hanging high in the sky above through a window-slit.

"Now what?" I asked our ancient guardian. I received no reply.


	25. Chapter 20, Fracture

**TWENTY**

**Fracture**

They were gone. Everyone was gone. Artemis had departed through the Astral Gate without a word looking as sad and dejected as any man of science could. The Princesses followed after him, or so I heard. I was not present when they returned home through the Astral Gate. I was in the Ring of Law attempting to keep feuding senators from killing each other over the result of the Council of Elysion.

"_The time has come."_ Setsuna's words echoed in my head.

"The time has come." I repeated to myself, "Time to marry the Princess? Time to divide the Golden Kingdom against us? Time to do _what_?"

Endymion's proposal of marriage to the Moon Princess had dire consequences. When the general public learned of the union outrage was the resounding answer. On top of that, knowledge of the so-called Lost City of Elysion was disseminated throughout the Golden Kingdom. No matter how hard we tried to keep such sensitive information secret it always managed to leak out anyway.

Nearly a week had passed since the Council convened and in that week I watched the Kingdom divide itself neatly down the middle. There were protests in the city streets by day and bonfires in the capitol square by night. Those of us who remained loyal to Endymion now faced overwhelming opposition from the citizens of Elysion who, once so adamant in their adulation for the King, now called him a traitor. _My_ King, _my_ Master, they called a traitor to the Earth. The thought stung my eyes.

The backlash against Endymion was so severe that the Silver Alliance panicked and recalled the Senshi. I was not even able to say goodbye to Ami before she left. In response to the Alliance's snap tactics a decree was passed that all persons subject to the Crown of Elysion were barred from travel or contact with any person or civilization beyond the Earth punishable by imprisonment and, in the case of any traitorous action, death.

"How did it ever come to this?" Kunzite asked as he joined me on a balcony overlooking one of the many palace gardens.

"We had known about our Master's infatuation with Princess Serenity for a long while." I reminded the eldest Shitennou, "Circumstances may not be ideal, but this marriage may yet unify our people."

"Unify?" Kunzite scoffed, "Zoisite, the city below is crawling with revolt! I have heard from my sentries that there is talk of forming a militia within these very walls! The Dark Kingdom threatens us from the shadows and now our own people threaten us from the streets!"

"I cannot bring myself to consider than anyone would openly revolt against Master Endymion." I defended.

"Master Endymion is…" Kunzite started and stalled in his words. I could see in his face that he was torn by what he wanted to say.

"What?"

"Master Endymion is wrong." Kunzite said at last. I could not believe my ears. "This marriage to the Moon Princess, honest and true as their love may be, is not the answer we need."

"Kunzite, how can you-"

He cut me off: "We need a miracle, Zoisite! The Senshi are against us, the Dark Kingdom is against us, and even our own people have begun to turn their allegiances. Nephrite is practically a shell of what he once was and Jadeite has been just as distant. What can we do, my oldest friend? What can the Four Heavenly Kings hope to accomplish when there are at best only two of us left?"

"The Dark Kingdom could destroy us." I told him gravely, "Our own people could overthrow us, but _nothing _can break the bonds of brotherhood that hold we Shitennou together. Kunzite, you cannot give into despair, not you."

"I will never give into despair, Zoisite." Kunzite announced coolly and I believed in his resolve, "But I cannot avoid frustration. Endymion expects us to keep the peace, well… there is barely any peace left to keep in this Kingdom. Tension is building, Zoisite. Unless we can find a way to act soon then something is going to give."

Kunzite turned and walked away from me and I was left pondering his words. _Find a way to act._ I could not think of anything that the Shitennou could do that would bring about peace in our land. It seemed that no matter what we tried it only made things worse. Even our Master who had rallied the Kingdom to his cause time and again faltered with his marriage proposal. I did not want to think about it anymore. I did not want thoughts at all. What I truly desired was to see Ami again, but knowing that to be impossible I settled for a night of restless sleep.

I entered my chambers and something immediately felt off about them. The window shades were pulled tight and there was very little light entering from the starry night sky. I stalked about the room quietly, tense and with a spell on the tip of my tongue. I made my way to the side of my bed where my sword belt hung against a post and drew my saber in one quick motion. There was something else in that room with me, I was sure of it. I felt something touch my leg and I leapt backward, swinging the sword at, apparently, empty air behind me. A soft sound called my attention down and I finally met eyes with the intruder: a small, white cat.

"Are you trying to get yourself sliced in half?" I asked nervously as I dropped my saber on the bed.

The cat purred at me and I noticed a peculiar glint on its forehead: a marking in the shape of a crescent moon. My eyes widened in shock as the feline's body contorted and grew.

"Artemis!" I gasped in a whisper, "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to speak to you." He said softly.

"But the ban on travel!" I gasped, "Do you have any idea how dangerous it is for you to be on Earth right now?"

"Zoisite." He said calmly, "I found something that I think you need to see."

The Grand Magus walked over to the large table in my chambers and pulled out a giant scroll from the folds of his robe. He unfurled it on the table and I immediately recognized some of the shapes as being constellations. He gestured for me to join him.

"My people were great seekers of knowledge." Artemis told me, "We traveled the galaxies learning what we could, recording our findings, charting our routes and making maps like these."

"Where did you find this?" I asked breathlessly.

"When my home world was destroyed only a few of us escaped and even fewer were able to salvage any of the collected knowledge we had recorded." Artemis said sadly, "I had never thought to look for this map before, but after what we experienced in the arctic I decided to see if I could find any information to corroborate Helios' story."

"And a map of the stars is what you discovered?" I asked, wondering how it could possibly help.

"This map was made during the Golden Millennium, Zoisite!" The Magus said and pointed at what looked to be a date in the margins in a language I couldn't read, "It seems my people discovered your Solar System long before I ever came to live here."

"I don't understand what you're trying to say." I confessed.

"Look at the detail of this map." Artemis explained and pointed to the planets in turn, "Accurate down to the rings of Saturn itself. These maps were not drawn by amateur astronomers, the measurements and calculations are exacting down to the finest degree."

He moved his hand and pointed to the third planet, "Now look here."

I looked. Perhaps it was fatigue, but I did not see what Artemis saw. Or, rather, what he didn't see.

"Zoisite." Artemis said gravely, "The Moon is not depicted on this map."

I looked closer and saw that Artemis was correct. Every moon of Jupiter and Saturn was accounted for, not to mention those of the other planets, but The Moon itself which had been the stalwart companion of this planet was not shown on the map.

"Could it be an oversight?" I asked, "Or, perhaps the ink rubbed off?"

"My people do not make oversights like that." Artemis said, somewhat put off by my question, "And you can see the parchment beneath where the Moon should be has not been disturbed or repaired. Zoisite…" Artemis paused and tapped on the empty space, "When this map was made the Moon did not exist."

I paused to consider the weight of his words. _Did not exist?_ It didn't make sense to me. Granted my knowledge of the innermost workings of our universe was minimal, but how could the Moon, such an integral part of this Solar System's society, simply not be there at a time of possibly its greatest upheaval.

"Artemis." I asked as thoughts came together slowly, "Do you recall what Helios said about the end of the Golden Millennium? About the great silence?"

"Yes." He replied, seeming to shiver at the thought.

"Could this have something to do with that event?" I asked.

Artemis pondered the question for a moment and began theorizing aloud: "The Moon is absent during the Golden Millennium, which then ends in a catastrophe… many thousands of years later the Moon emerges as founder of the Silver Millennium." Artemis' eyes lit up, "Zoisite, I believe we may have stumbled upon something."

"Helios said the great silence at the end of the Golden Millennium released extraordinary power." I recalled, "He said the earth was broken, on fire, and the power was so great the axis of the planet shifted. What could cause such a calamity?"

"I don't know." Artemis said as he chewed on the back of his thumb.

"Think, Artemis!" I demanded as I began pacing back and forth, "A catastrophe so great that none of the other planets would claim responsibility." A light suddenly shone in my mind, "They wouldn't claim responsibility because none of them were responsible!"

"Because it was a _natural _phenomenon!" Artemis gasped in understanding.

"If something struck the Earth with enough force it would have devastated the planet, shifted its axis, and created the Moon from the debris." I put the pieces together, "But a disaster of that magnitude… there is no way Helios would have survived. Nothing would have survived; the Earth would have reverted to a primordial state."

"The Golden Crystal is a powerful talisman." Artemis reminded me, "It is possible that it was able to sustain him in some limited fashion while the planet healed."

"Helios said the Golden Crystal was weak and its power was almost completely drained because of what happened to the Earth." I recollected the story, "It would have no longer had the power to sustain the planet."

"But do you know what would?" Artemis asked with the smile of an academic who was finally solving the puzzle, "The Silver Crystal, the _ginzuishou!_"

"Which is why to this day the Moon Kingdom sees itself as our guardian." I said and sat down into a nearby chair to collect my thoughts, "Because the_ ginzuishou_ itself is bound to the Earth and protected the planet while it healed and the Golden Crystal rested."

"Zoisite!" The Grand Magus exclaimed, "We have to find proof! We need evidence to present; we have to tell someone of this monumental discovery!"

"To what end, Artemis?" I asked somewhat forlorn, "The people of this planet are ready to tear each other apart over something as simple as a marriage. To try to explain to them that the Moon is something akin to a long-lost sibling would only increase their furor."

"You can use this information as leverage to admit Earth into the Silver Alliance." Artemis theorized, "Once the scholars and scribes hear what we have to say they will have no choice but to bring Earth into the community."

"No." I replied flatly, feeling my own rage building, "Mystical talismans and holy stones be damned! We do not need ancient history or eldritch powers to rule our fate any longer. We need to _act_." I remembered the words of Kunzite earlier and a bold maneuver began to formulate, "Artemis. I need your help."

* * *

It was late in the evening when I called Jadeite and Nephrite to join me in my quarters. As I expected neither of them were perturbed or angry to find Artemis there with me. As much as I had wanted to include Kunzite in this clandestine council I knew he would hold to his duty, reveal Artemis' presence to the authorities, and undermine what I was working towards. Kunzite was our brother, our captain and our friend, but above all he was the right hand of Endymion. As much as it pained me to go behind my Master's back I knew there was no way he would approve of what I was planning.

"Seal the door, Artemis." I urged the Grand Magus and he cast one of his patented locking cantrips on the door of my study. Jadeite and Nephrite looked on confused.

"What's this about, Zoisite?" Jadeite asked me at once.

"One moment." I told my companion and turned back to Artemis, "Are we secure?"

The Grand Magus prowled the edges of the room with a reactive obsidian stone in his hand which sensed the flow of magical energy. I had cast a spell of dampening around the room to silence any noise which Artemis had bolstered. The smooth black crystal glowed with a blinding purple light at all points of the room and Artemis nodded that we were indeed isolated.

"Forgive me." I apologized to my fellow Shitennou, "But what I tell you here cannot leave this room."

"Are these Master Endymion's orders or yours?" Nephrite asked with a sideways glance.

I had no choice but to answer honestly: "Master Endymion does not know of this meeting."

"Considering your efforts at secrecy and the presence of the Moon Kingdom's Grand Magus I am beginning to suspect treason." Nephrite growled in his usual gruff way.

"And I suspect you've been drinking to even consider that I would betray our Master." I retorted.

"Then why are we here?" Jadeite asked, "What honorable, upright cause do we share that requires us to meet in secret under a thick veil of magic?"

"Kunzite believes something must be done to relieve the tension within the Kingdom." I told my companions, "Artemis and I discovered a lost, ancient answer as to what ended the Golden Millennium, but on its own it is not enough to sway the minds of our people."

"What did you discover?" Nephrite asked dismissively.

I related our findings, about the great silence, the near-death of our planet and how the Moon and _ginzuishou _were born. Jadeite and Nephrite were silent for the entirety of my story and at the end, though I expected at least Nephrite to object, they were quiet and contemplative.

"We need to do something, my fellow Kings." I told them, "As much as I wish to act as one, Kunzite would not allow this and neither would our Master." I let my gaze fall slightly, "With good cause, I'm afraid. We may very well meet our ends this way."

"What are you proposing, Zoisite?" Jadeite asked earnestly, "The people fear the Dark Kingdom from one side and the Silver Alliance from the other."

"We must make a show of our strength." I told them, "In one fell swoop we must remove the people's fear of the Dark Kingdom _and_ force the Silver Alliance to see that we are truly committed to join the rest of the planets."

"How?"

"We must go to the Dark Kingdom." I told them and even Artemis who had not yet been privy to my idea gasped, "We must find where the beast makes its lair and cut off its head."

* * *

My plan was still sinking into the minds of the other Shitennou the next day when we gathered with Endymion in the throne room he so hated to inhabit. Kunzite had convinced our Master that something had to be done to appease the crowds and so he planned that afternoon to go out into the plaza and address the people. A public address was something my Master would do frequently, but had fallen by the wayside in recent months thanks to the Dark Kingdom's continued harassment and, unfortunately, his own predisposition to spend as much time as possible with Princess Serenity.

"I've posted guards at every entrance to the palace and there are archers at each level as well as operatives I've sent to mingle in the crowds." Kunzite said as we walked with the King towards the balcony where he would give his address.

"I'm just going to talk to the people, Kunzite; I'm not walking into a warzone." Endymion dismissed his eldest advisor.

"Begging the King's pardon, but you are." Kunzite replied, "The backlash against your marriage proposal has been extreme. My guard has been working triple shifts to contain riots."

"Then let's hope after today your guards will be able to take a well-earned break." Endymion comforted the Shitennou with a hand on his shoulder, "Trust me, Kunzite. I know how to talk to my people."

I caught the eldest King's icy glare which seemed to hold no hopefulness. Jadeite, Nephrite and I stood to the left side of Endymion while Kunzite stepped up to his right. Two armored sentinels pushed open a pair of heavy wooden doors and raised an iron portcullis that led to the balcony. As we stepped out into the midday sun the crowd below, thousands of them standing shoulder-to-shoulder in plaza greeted Endymion with roars of disapproval and cries of "Traitor!"

"Good people of Elysion!" Endymion began and unpopular as he was at the moment his powerful voice silenced the throng, "I know you have been wrestling with my recent decision to wed Princess Serenity, but I come before you today to tell you I stand by it."

The crowd voiced its displeasure. I heard vulgarities spewed that nearly turned my stomach.

"Please!" Endymion cried out to them, "Please believe me when I say I do not do this out of desperation our out of a misplaced sense of honor. I do this out of _love_! The Silver Alliance looks to us as their last member and we must join them! They will protect us!"

"Protect us?" asked a voice from below and my heart grew heavy at the hideous sound, "You believe the Alliance will protect you, but in the end you know they seek only to destroy you!"

The crowd below us parted and in the center of the plaza there now stood a woman. Her dress was dark and clasped her figure tightly accentuating every curve. Her long, spindly hands were tipped with blood red nails and in her right hand she gripped a staff with a crystal tip. Golden eyes, pulsating with power, were framed by pointed ears and full, billowing strands of scarlet hair. All at once a rush of memories came flooding back to me: the strange woman aboard the _Celeste_; the same witch who confronted me in Acheron. It was _her!_ My mind reeled against the shock of the suppressed memories. Nephrite gasped and grasped the railing of the balcony so as not to tumble off.

"Zoisite? Nephrite?" Jadeite asked worriedly, "What's wrong?"

"She _found _us!" I croaked out, the air sucked from my lungs.

"Who are you to address the King in such a way?" Kunzite demanded of the red-haired woman.

"I was nothing but a lowly servant girl whose love of her Prince went unanswered and unnoticed!" The woman below snarled and her eyes crackled with power, "I was forgotten and cast off without a second glance because your Endymion loved a girl from the Moon more than the people of his own planet."

The crowd of citizens below echoed this woman's accusation with cheers of approval. Endymion's brow curled. The woman was not familiar to him, despite her claim. He shook his head and forced Kunzite back.

"Good lady, I do not know your face, but it is obvious to me that you are passionate about our world." Endymion addressed her directly, "I only wish to unite the Earth with the Silver Alliance to ensure lasting protection and prosperity for our people!"

"The alliance is stagnant and bloated!" She cried back again with the support of the thousands of people in the streets, "The Earth should not join an alliance that has nothing to offer it. We are stronger than ever and it is we, not the Queen of the Moon, who should offer her so-called protection. We shall lead the people of this Solar System into the future!"

The cheers and applause that followed the woman's declaration overpowered our own efforts to silence them. Nephrite and I could only look on in horror remember when had happened to us on our fateful voyage to Acheron. Jadeite looked completely lost and isolated. Kunzite's lips were moving, screaming something down at the crowd but over the din I couldn't hear him. My Master, however, had steeled his gaze and did not take his eyes off the fiery witch below.

"Who are you?" He asked once the noise had quieted sufficiently.

"You prove my words true yet again, your majesty." She mocked him with a bow, "You do not even recall my name after all the years I served you so faithfully."

"I apologize, my lady." Endymion sincerely offered, "But my memory escapes me."

"Your words mean nothing to me anymore, Endymion!" She called back and a mighty wind swept through the plaza charged with dark, suffocating energy, "There was a time when I offered you my heart, but you broke it and left me empty! I have always only been watching you, Endymion, but now I shall claim what is rightfully mine!"

She raised her staff above her head and the sky darkened, crackling with lighting as even the supportive hordes of citizens broke off and ran in fear. Powerful bolts of black magic struck the ground all around her as her grating, primal laughter filled the air.

"I am called Beryl, Queen of the Dark Kingdom!" She announced herself at last, "I give you one week to decide your fate, Endymion! One week to renounce your union with Princess Serenity and force the Silver Alliance to recognize the Earth as a sovereign world." Beryl's snake-like hiss filled my ears and I felt weak, "Fail in this task and the Dark Kingdom will overrun Elysion and then each planet in turn until the Silver Alliance is only a fading memory!"

A fantastic peal of thunder ripped through the air and a blinding flash accompanied it. When our eyes adjusted Queen Beryl was gone from our sight. Never before had we encountered a being that could move instantly from one place to another, but this witch seemed capable of such feats and who knows how many others. The crowd of dissenters were even too frightened by her disappearance to retake the streets and the plaza below remained eerily silent as we all stood there trying to absorb what had happened in the last few minutes.

"Get every man still willing to fight for us ready for battle." Endymion told Kunzite, "I will not renounce love or reject the Silver Alliance on the whims of a mad woman. If she sends her Dark Kingdom to engage us, we will be ready."

"Master, perhaps we should-"

"Kunzite!" Endymion interrupted him with an angry glare, "I _will not_ yield to this woman! Even if I have to take the field and fight the Dark Kingdom myself! My people _will _see the error in their thinking. I trust them."

"The people in that plaza today were not cheering for you, my King." I interjected my thoughts, "I believe this Queen Beryl is responsible for all the hardship we have endured these past months. She was there when Nephrite and I voyaged to Acheron."

"I remember her too, Master." Nephrite agreed, "Only now when I saw her did the memory surface, but she was there. I believe she also is responsible for the message in the stars that led me to kidnap the Princess of Jupiter."

"If she controls powers such as these that could destroy Elysion from the inside then I wager she would have already used them." Endymion suggested with a tactical flair, "Queen Beryl is desperate now, trying to win the loyalties of our own people to bolster her numbers. When and if she decides to attack she must know she does so with an inferior force."

"So we think." Kunzite told the King, "But if what Neprhite and Zoisite say is true about how she can affect minds and memories then what other powers can she be hiding?"

"I stand by my assessment, Kunzite." Endymion stated firmly, "Expect a battle, but be ready for anything. If the Alliance wants to ban travel and cut off all communication with us then what choice do we have?" My Master's face was drawn ragged with weariness, "As always we stand alone."

"If that's the way it has to be, I will gladly stand with you, Master." Kunzite told his King.

"As will I." Jadeite agreed.

"And me." Nephrite joined in.

"As will we all, Master." I assured him

"The Dark Kingdom surely cannot stand against us when we are united." Endymion said with a smile and took all of us in his gaze, "We will win this battle yet, my friends, and the Silver Alliance will have no choice but to honor the strength and resolve of our people."

With that Endymion turned away and left as we all bowed in reverence. Kunzite exhaled heavily, having held much back during our conversation. He glared down at us from where he always seemed to tower above and departed without a word.

"Artemis!" I called out in a hushed whisper and a small white cat soon joined the remaining Shitennou, "The Queen of the Dark Kingdom was here, down in the plaza not moments ago. If we can discover her means of conveyance we can track her down!"

The feline nodded its head in understanding and leapt out onto the balcony, carefully balancing and jumping from roof to pillar to ledge on his way down the side of the palace. Artemis remained in his feline guise while he worked so as not to be recognized, though his progress was slowed considerably by being in such an underdeveloped animal's body.

"You mean to attempt your plan?" Nephrite asked grimly as he watched the white cat prowl around the plaza.

"This may be our one and only chance to discover where our enemy hides." I returned, "If Artemis and I can track Queen Beryl to her lair we can corner her and take her captive."

"Or kill her." Nephrite suggested expectantly.

"No." Jadeite answered for me, "The Silver Alliance would expect us Earthling barbarians to just murder a war criminal like Beryl. We should take her alive."

Nephrite scoffed at the younger king, "Usually you would be first to agree in taking a life that is well-deserved of ending."

"I'm thinking practically, Nephrite." Jadeite told him, but I could hear the conflict in his voice, "She obviously possesses remarkable arcane knowledge. We would be fools not to learn what we can from her."

"First we have to find her." I reminded my colleagues as I watched Artemis far below, "Meet at my chambers tonight after midnight. Hopefully by then Artemis and I will have been able to come up with something to aid our search."

The Shitennou nodded and we all moved off in our separate directions. Artemis' feline form darted back and forth across the plaza as he attempted to both gather information and look inconspicuous. The crystal he had swallowed which was now gathering alchemical energy patterns would not taste pleasant being regurgitated later, but it was the only sure-fire method of collecting data that we could conceive.

I returned to my chambers to await the Grand Magus' return and began planning for the Shitennou's most daring endeavor. If we truly could trace Queen Beryl back to her lair it would tip the scales completely in our favor. I thought about informing Endymion and Kunzite, assembling the army and storming the Dark Kingdom itself, but as I thought of the lives that would be lost in the struggle as well as the days of deliberation and planning I shut the idea out of my mind. This was something only the Shitennou could do. I only wished I could consult with another tactical mind; a mind like Ami's. My thoughts drifted to her frequently now. I missed her terribly.

The promise of seeing her again only redoubled my zeal to capture Queen Beryl and put an end to this senseless war.

* * *

The chimes announcing midnight had already faded when Nephrite exited his chambers. Endymion had guards posted at Nephrite's door for the first week after returning from the Lost City, but declared that no Shitennou should be kept under guard. The warlord walked silently down the hallway towards his destination, but stopped short at an intersection when he heard footsteps approaching. He slid his back against the wall and peered around the corner to see a figure in the shadows heading down another corridor at a brisk pace. Finding someone else in the palace awake at that hour bothered him and so Nephrite followed.

The figure passed through the great hall and Nephrite kept pace by dodging behind the huge pillars holding the roof aloft. Whoever the night stalker was he was agile and quick, nearly losing Nephrite several times as he continued on his silent jog. He caught up with the stranger and a flash of moonlight revealed that he wore a black traveling cloak, but did not offer any more details. He moved swiftly through halls and down a spiral staircase. Nephrite hesitated at the top of the stairs a moment before giving chase again and before long he found himself pressed up against the door frame leading into the Astral Gate chamber.

Normally there would be guards stationed at the gates, but tonight they were strangely absent. Nephrite peeked around the corner to see the figure in black hurrying into position between the mighty pillars of the gate. A familiar static charge began to build as the planetary symbols glowed mystic blue. The figure whirled around and Nephrite's face blanched. He stepped out from his hiding place into full view.

"Nephrite!" the cloaked figure exclaimed.

"Master?" Nephrite questioned, not wanting to believe his eyes.

Before a reply was given Endymion was gone. The swirling mist of the Astral Gate dissipated and the air warmed as the static feeling faded. The Shitennou was left alone having just witnessed his trusted Master break the one taboo that any other citizen of the Kingdom could possibly face the gallows for. His eyes would not blink and his hanging jaw would not close.

"Your honest and truthful Master." A voice said from the air and in Nephrite's mind, "Do as the King says, not as the King does."

"Where are you?" Nephrite growled as his eyes scanned the room. He must have turned in place three times, seeing nothing, but suddenly she was there standing right beside him.

"If your Master cannot follow his own laws why should his subjects?" Beryl taunted the Shitennou.

"I have no reason to break my Master's laws." Nephrite spat at her.

"Really, Nephrite? What about that pretty little princess from Jupiter?" Queen Beryl asked with a heinous pout, "The one who said she would help mend your damaged soul?"

Neprhite's mind was suddenly filled with images of Makoto. She flooded through his thoughts and Nephrite tried hard to shake the images of the helpless Senshi as her energy was siphoned away out of his head, but the visions would not disperse. He felt a crushing presence invading his mind as Beryl forced her will upon him. He fell to his knees, unable to stand again.

"Why do you continue to toy with me as if I'm some ventriloquist's doll?" Nephrite demanded, forcing his will through the psychic barrage.

"Because I know what you hunger for, Nephrite." The witch told him, "You long to be in control. It was why you were a sailor. You need to feel in command of yourself or you become something else entirely: a directionless engine of destruction!"

"Release me!" He cried out, pounding his head with his fists.

"Does this powerlessness you feel now remind you of anything?" The demon Queen asked the raving Shitennou, "Does it not feel similar to what you felt these last few months, burdened under Endymion's yoke as he has shunned his people in favor of a Moon Princess?"

"You are a coward to demand such answers from a defenseless man." Nephrite chastised his tormentor, "I am no traitor to my King; just as Endymion would not betray me!"

"Then why has he broken the ban on travel?" Beryl interrogated him, "Where is your Master when he should be here on Earth? On the moon, I'll warrant, fawning over his Princess while his Kingdom crumbles."

"Silence, demon!" Nephrite shrieked.

"You think Endymion still cares for you the way he once did?" Queen Beryl thundered and assaulted Nephrite with images of his dead soldiers, Acheron, and those he killed while under the Dark Kingdom's spell, "Look at what you have done, Nephrite! Your King is terrified of you now! He has seen what you are capable of and only welcomes you as a Shitennou out of his own fear."

"Stop!" Nephrite demanded. His gums began to bleed from gritting his teeth, "I will not listen to your words anymore!" Out of sheer desperation he grabbed the jade stone that he habitually kept in his pocket. It was white-hot and glowing like a miniature sun.

"You do not need words! Just look around you to see what he has done!" Beryl taunted him, "Your villages burn, your soldiers die at the hands of the Dark Kingdom. The people are rising up against you and where is Endymion? Gone into the night." Nephrite was silent and the Queen perceived his hesitation, "You must do what your Master has failed to do, Nephrite. Rally your brothers. Rally the Golden Kingdom! I want nothing more than peace in this world, but not by giving into the demands of the Silver Alliance!"

"I will not betray my Master!" Nephrite hollered back at her.

"Don't think of it as betrayal, Nephrite." The evil queen grinned and lessened the intensity of the spell slightly, "Think of it as saving him from his own vices. That Moon Child has blinded him to his true purpose."

"He would not abandon us only for her." Nephrite coughed. The jade stone was pulsating rhythmically now, as if trying to communicate.

"And yet you saw him step through this Astral Gate with your very own eyes." Beryl comforted him and laid a thin, spiderlike hand on his shoulder, "Take control, Nephrite. Call your Shitennou brethren together and rally the people behind you! When Endymion returns he will have no choice but to listen to your counsel, but he cannot be allowed to continue shirking his responsibility."

"Responsibility." Nephrite echoed, "I cannot carry Endymion's burden."

"Nor should you." Beryl appeased him, "But your King must be reminded where his focus lies." She gestured quickly and surgically, "Go back to the palace. Secure it, by force if necessary. Make sure this Golden Kingdom is safe since your Endymion is not here to do it himself."

"Take control, Nephrite." She knelt down next to him and whispered in his ear. A long, stiletto nail touched the thrumming facets of Nephrite's stone and the gem suddenly fell dark and dim as though it had been filled with wispy black clouds, "Think of it as a penance. Think also of Endymion's pride when you make him see the error of his ways."

"Master…" Nephrite whispered to the cool night breeze. He was suddenly alone again.

The Shitennou stood up and tried to collect his thoughts, but only one thought would stand out in his mind: control. Endymion had broken the travel ban that he himself had enacted. At a time when the Earth was facing its greatest threat their King was not there. Nephrite glanced through a window up at the pale sliver of the Moon and a rage built up in his gut. As always, there it was, like an unblinking sentinel taking measure of their every move. He could not abide the interference of the Moon Kingdom any longer, despite however his Master felt about the Princess he intended to marry.

"Master." Nephrite spoke up to the moon, "Master, I beg you to return quickly." Nephrite choked back tears and shouted up at the sky, "Please Master, come back! Stop me from what I'm about to do!"

Nephrite swallowed his tears, rage and confusion and his hand dropped to his side where his ceremonial saber hung in its scabbard. He drew out the thin blade, checked its edge and caught sight of his burning, conflicted eyes in the mirror shine of the sword. He switched it to his traditional grip, turned, and began marching in the direction of the city's barracks.


	26. Chapter 21, A Hollow Victory

**TWENTY-ONE**

**A Hollow Victory**

Jadeite and I waited patiently in my sealed, magically dampened chambers for what felt like an hour after the designated meeting time. Artemis stood in one corner, arms folded and looking sour which did not suit the usually exuberant Magus. I couldn't be sure, but I had the inkling that whatever was delaying Nephrite would in some way work against us. I briefly considered the possibility that he had led us on and was, at this moment, mustering Kunzite and an armed escort to come and accuse us of treason.

"Typical." Jadeite snorted.

"We can't wait for your friend much longer." Artemis interjected, "If what my calculations revealed are true then we should have left an hour ago. She could be halfway across the Kingdom by now."

"We'll give him five more minutes." I said flatly.

"I still can't believe you traced her magical signature to somewhere so near." Jadeite scoffed looking out a window to the starless night.

"It troubles me too." I assured my companion.

"To think she could be puppeteering the Dark Kingdom from within our own borders…" Jadeite trailed off in thought, "Do you think she may have placed agents in our ranks?"

"If her power is truly as great as I felt when I encountered her in Acheron I see no reason why she would even need agents or spies." I responded wistfully, "She could simply peer into our minds and pluck whatever information she needs like fruit from a tree."

"The fact that you have seen this woman and could not remember until yesterday troubles me greatly." Artemis added his thoughts, "What were the circumstances of your meeting?"

"My memory is still vague." I confessed, "I was paralyzed by her. Her presence was domineering and frightful. She spoke of conquest, gloating over her control of Nephrite. She implied that she would act again. I can only assume she referred to Nephrite's recent debacle with Sailor Jupiter."

"Why did she choose Nephrite?" Jadeite wondered aloud, "And if she has been in control of his mind were we complete fools to include Nephrite in this effort? Does Beryl know we are hunting her?"

"I don't believe so." I answered, "Everything she has done until this point has been meant to sow dissent. Forcing Nephrite to kidnap a member of the Silver Alliance and uncover something as monumental as the Lost City was meant to blur the Kingdom's focus. She succeeded in disrupting order. Now, with her recent appearance, Beryl is seeking to rally the citizens to her banner."

"You believe she has no more use for Nephrite?" Jadeite asked.

"I can't be certain." I stated regretfully, "But I believe she is now directing her power to a larger group. She used Nephrite to plant the seed, now she is reaping her harvest. I fear the harvest will be our own people."

We were silent for a moment before Jadeite groaned, "Where_ is_ he?"

"We can't wait any longer." Artemis forced his opinion, "It has to be now."

"Agreed." I said reluctantly, "Hopefully he's only overslept and he will be coming up right behind us."

"The location I've pinpointed is less than five miles outside the city." Artemis reminded us, "Keep to the woods until you reach the swamp beyond the southern edge of the Elysian Fields then follow it west to a wooded hollow. If she is there her camp, and hopefully her guard, will be light."

"Artemis." I approached the Grand Magus and took his hand firmly, "Thank you." I shook vigorously, "You have no idea the depths of respect and gratitude I have for your assistance. Queen Serenity is blessed indeed to have you to call on for counsel."

"Yes, well… you're welcome." Artemis answered seeming somewhat embarrassed by my proclamation. He then caught my eye with a mischievous smirk, "Your recent guests, the princesses, I'm sure they will be polite enough to ask after your health. Shall I pass on your regards?"

"They know that you're here?" Jadeite asked. An eyebrow rose in suspicion.

"Certainly not!" Artemis answered in a haughty fashion, "But they will soon enough."

"What do you mean?" I asked worriedly.

"Surely you don't think that Ami and Rei would believe you two single-handedly orchestrated the capture of the Queen of the Dark Kingdom?" Artemis asked with a sly wink.

"Very funny, Artemis." I replied dryly and then gave him a somber glance, "Take care when returning to the Astral Gate. The guards may not have seen you arrive, but they will surely see you leave."

"Not to worry." Artemis answered and before my eyes his body shrunk and distorted into his feline form.

"Goodbye, my friend." I said as the small white cat bounded to my window sill.

"Be safe." He purred back and leapt out into the night.

"Enviable." Jadeite said grinning lecherously, "Imagine how useful that talent could be."

"What, to make it easier for you to sneak into the women's bath house?" I asked ruefully.

"Actually I was referring to the purely military advantages, but now that you mention it…" Jadeite answered and rubbed his chin as though he were in deep thought.

"Enough. Forget I said anything." I ordered, waving my hands as if to wipe away the conversation.

"Honestly Zoisite, your prudishness knows no limits." Jadeite scoffed.

"I am not prude." I defended my attitude, "You want to know exactly what happened between me and Ami?"

"Yes." Jadeite answered immediately, standing at attention and practically salivating at the prospect of a sordid tale.

"Well if we make it back alive from this I might just tell you the details." I said with a grin and extended my hand, "Agreed?"

"Agreed." He said and clasped my hand, "Even without the promise of hearing about your dirty deeds."

"Are you ready?" I asked, drawing my sword with a flourish.

Jadeite twirled his curved blade like a baton and said, "Ready."

* * *

Nephrite threw open the doors of the barracks with such force that the two dozen soldiers within jumped from their sleep and stood at attention in a split second, fearing a midnight inspection or forced march from Kunzite, their trainer, taskmaster, and perceived torturer. They were therefore surprised to see the auburn-haired warlord stride through their ranks and inspect them as though they stood marshaled on the field of battle.

These men were mostly young and headstrong, but they were brave. They were also loyal. They had pledged to stand by Endymion through all trails and neither war nor dissent had swayed them. They knew they faced infinitely crueler torment at the hands of Kunzite than any they could receive within the oppressive ranks of the Dark Kingdom and so they held true to king and country. Nephrite' couldn't help but smile at their resolve, their passion, and their _control._

"Who am I, soldier?" Nephrite asked a young man standing near him.

"Nephrite, milord." The soldier replied awkwardly, "One of Endymion's Shitennou."

"Correct." Nephrite told him, "Do you know what a Shitennou's chief function is?"

"N- no, sir." The soldier stuttered in reply.

"We are bound by blood and honor to protect King Endymion." Nephrite explained and began pacing through the line of soldiers, "Just as you swore an oath to defend this Golden Kingdom we Shitennou have an oath by all means and all powers to protect Endymion no matter the foe…" Nephrite paused and took them all in his gaze, "… even from himself."

"My lord?" One of the soldiers asked.

"King Endymion…" Nephrite said and paused as he choked on the words. It seemed to the soldiers that he was at the point of tears, "He has… traveled to the Moon this very night."

"The Moon?" A soldiers scoffed, "Against his own orders?"

"His love of Princess Serenity is blinding him to the horrors we face here on Earth." Nephrite elaborated, echoing the words of the sinister Queen Beryl who has haunted his steps, "That is why I come to you tonight, loyal soldiers of Elysion, to ask you not as your captain, but as the guardian of my King for your help."

"What would you have us do, Lord Nephrite?" An eager young soldier asked him.

"Endymion is the greatest man I have ever known." Nephrite said fondly, "He entrusted me to guide him, counsel him, and protect him from all evil. Right now _**that**_is the evil I must protect him from!" His finger shot into a point aimed at the moon hovering in the night sky, "They may not come to us with swords and magic like the Dark Kingdom, but Endymion has fallen under their spell all the same."

"Cursed Moon-kind!" a soldier called out.

"They've lorded over us forever!" Another added.

"They seek to steal our King!" A third cried out.

Nephrite's lips traced out a thin smile. Such prejudice even within the ranks of the soldiers. This was almost too simple.

"Hear me out, men!" Nephrite called, "When Endymion returns he will see the truth, I have full trust in my Master, but we must be vigilant!" Nephrite led them into the courtyard outside the barracks and pointed up at the capitol palace, "We must go to the capitol tonight and secure the throne against any who would use this opportunity to usurp Endymion's position." He paused looking hopeful and a bit forlorn, "Are you with me, men? Are you with Endymion?"

"Endymion!" came the chorus of enthusiastic cheer from the soldiers.

Nephrite smiled as he watched them prepare. Kunzite trained them well, no doubt of that. They were armed and clad in their armor in minutes. As he had hoped none of them questioned his orders and none of them showed any sign of their battle-hardened resolve bending. Nephrite had convinced them this was for the good of Elysion, and more importantly the good of their King. He was certain Endymion would have nothing but praise for his efforts upon his return. With the Shitennou standing at the head of the column of soldiers their small unit began to march towards the capitol. As they approached the stairs Nephrite's eyes narrowed to slits and his mouth became dry. There was only one obstacle left to overcome and he did not relish the thought.

Kunzite.

* * *

Jadeite and I stalked our way through the thick underbrush of the forest to the edge of the swamp. The lights of Elysion had long faded behind us and the lack of stars in the sky plunged our midnight sojourn into utter darkness despite the sliver of a crescent moon still hanging above. The going was slow as we attempted to keep unnecessary noise to a minimum. However, in the thick brambles and sucking bog it was near to impossible to move stealthily.

"This is ridiculous." Jadeite complained as he dislodged his leg from a puddle of horrid bog slime, "What I wouldn't give to be back on Mars right now."

"With your raven-haired Princess no doubt." I quipped, ignoring the gnats buzzing in a cloud around my face.

"No doubt." He answered, "But also with its paved streets and byways and canyons of sheer rock and desert plateaus. Not a swamp as far as the eye can see."

"Once we finish this business you and Rei can take a picnic lunch to a sandy red mesa in celebration." I said, hoping to ease my comrade out of his whining.

"You know, I've noticed that you've been unusually callous in your remarks about Princess Rei ever since I returned from my trip." Jadeite said, taking me off guard, "You do know I have the capacity to wonder about what lies beneath her head and not simply beneath her clothes?"

"I'm sorry Jadeite, I thought you'd appreciate the attempt at your type of humor." I said only half heartedly.

"Oh, I do, don't get me wrong." He chirped back, "In fact I think you're coming along splendidly in that department."

"Thank you."

"However, I am attracted to Rei for more reasons than simply her exotic beauty." Jadeite announced proudly, "She has proven to be very spiritual, very proud and driven about her place in her people's culture and she shows levels of compassion that I never would have thought possible from someone of her upbringing."

"Well, we know all too well about warrior's compassion." I reminded my companion.

"That's just it, Zoisite." Jadeite rebuked me, "Rei wasn't raised to be a warrior. Mars has no warriors anymore; it's completely the opposite of what we had always believed about them. They have no armies, no soldiers. They are pacifists."

"Interesting." I replied, trying to bend a clump of thick growth out of our path.

"Interesting?" Jadeite balked, "When she first told me that I practically had to collect my jaw off the floor. She took me there to teach me the ways of Mars. She knew we Earthlings, the Shitennou in particular, were very similar to her ancient ancestors. We've been fighting all our lives, Zoisite. It has to stop at some point."

"That's exactly why we're here." I reminded him, aggravated that he was waxing philosophical at such an inopportune moment, "Once we capture Queen Beryl and end the threat of the Dark Kingdom the Silver Alliance will welcome us with open arms and we won't have to lift a sword again for the rest of our lives."

"When I suggested yesterday that we take Queen Beryl alive I was not speaking out of practicality." Jadeite said almost sounding like a confession, "For everything she's done she probably deserves death, but… not by our hands."

"What are you talking about?" I demanded and swung around to face my younger counterpart, "Don't mince words, Jadeite, out with it!"

"I am conflicted, Zoisite." The blonde king told me truthfully, "Ever since Rei showed me her world and opened my eyes to the possibility that I could be more than just a blade for my King." Jadeite looked away, clenched his sword, and clenched his eyes, "I don't simply want to avoid killing this witch. I _can't _kill her. I can't have any more blood on my hands, Zoisite… I just can't…"

I was stunned. Nothing could have prepared me for what Jadeite had just said. Jadeite who from my earliest memory was the fiercest combatant on the field in terms of sheer tenacity; Jadeite who crafted the most fiendish and terrifying illusions I had ever seen; Jadeite who reveled in the carnal delight of battle had all but told me he was hanging up his sword.

"You waited until now to tell me this?" I asked him, broiling with confused anger, "Here in the wilderness with Queen Beryl so near?"

"I have no intention of abandoning this mission." Jadeite said sternly, "I am a Shitennou and I believe this is in the best interest of my Master, but I will not take another life, Zoisite."

Leaves rustled and twigs snapped behind us. We dove to the ground for cover and looked up to see a leathery-skinned youma prowling in the brush just ahead of us. Our voices must have carried, but the presence of the vile creature only confirmed what we had only suspected. The Dark Kingdom had a presence nearby and there was a good chance Queen Beryl was there.

"Does your new vow of pacifism include youma?" I mumbled a whisper to Jadeite. His cold gaze and scowl answered me.

I left my companion on the ground and whirled around behind trees and vines as light as my feet could carry me. Within moments I was behind the youma. I placed a hand over its fanged maw, raised my blade to its neck and sliced. The creature thrashed and moaned under the grasp, but I managed to keep it relatively silent and lowered it gently to the ground as it bled out. Jadeite joined me as I stood up, wiping the creature's foul fur off my jacket.

"It was human once." Jadeite motioned to the dead youma, "Isn't that what you and Artemis discovered?"

I ignored Jadeite's attempt at a guilt trip and we continued on our way in silence. The swamp opened up to clear forest again and we began to see the glow of a camp fire between the trees as we darted side-to-side. Sure enough there was a wooded clearing some yards ahead of us. Many figures lurked in the shadows and smoke. I roughly estimated eight of them, most likely all youma. At the far end of the makeshift camp stood a large wagon of the same type that would sometimes be seen in the possession of gypsies who traveled with trading caravans. Red drapes were pulled over large lattice windows. Dim candlelight glowed within. My blood ran cold at the thought: She was in there.

"It's going to be difficult to do this if I can't count on you." I whispered to Jadeite.

"I never said I wouldn't fight." He whispered back, "Just that I wouldn't kill."

I sighed to myself assuming any continued argument would be futile. I quickly assessed the situation and came up with a plan of attack. It was not glamorous and given the odds it would be extremely risky, but it hinged on the campfire. My own control over the mystical properties of flame was considerable, but for this to work I needed to rely on my manipulation of water. Thankfully in the short time I spent with Ami I was able to learn through observation of her fantastic elemental powers how to better control the slippery substance.

Concealed in the darkness behind a tree I flexed my hand and began reaching out to the eldritch energies of the forest. The dew had not yet settled, but the trees and plants were willing to give up a bit of their precious nourishment to aid me. Small drops began to coalesce at my fingertips and within a few moments the Earth had responded to my call and I held a suspended, flowing globe of water in my hand. With a flick of the wrist I sent it cascading through the trees like a fountain and it fell with a splash onto the large fire, extinguishing it immediately. A huge blanket of smoke spread among the clamoring youma and with my distraction in place we attacked!

The youma fell easily to my blade. They were practically blind in the smoke and the first two I dispatched never caught a glimpse of me. I wrestled one silently to the ground and drove my sword into its putrid heart. Another came too near and I sliced through its neck, sending its horned head rolling away into the black forest. A third, panicked at my foggy silhouette, attempted to flee. He was met with my knife in his back for his trouble. As I fought my way towards the wagon I discovered there were far more than eight youma as I originally counted. They seemed to come at me in droves. In the haze it was difficult for any one of them to assail me, but I was cautious all the same. After six of the slavering beasts were dispatched I crouched down near the large wooden wheel of the cart and waited.

I heard muffled screams, grunts, and howls of pain interspersed with the metallic _woosh_ of Jadeite's sword. The gray, clawed hand of a youma sailed towards me and fell near my feet, curling into a fist as it died. Youma shrieked; I heard several sets of claws and feet pumping the ground in retreat. Their baleful moans faded into the dark forest. Jadeite stepped through the fog. His blade was coated with a brackish film. He held a youma by the back of the neck in his other hand. It was bleeding profusely from a chest wound and would likely not survive. Jadeite looked grim.

"Let's finish this." I said. Jadeite nodded.

Before we could move we found ourselves surrounded; not by youma, but by men and women clad in makeshift armor wielding pitchforks, axes, and crude clubs. The gypsy wagon shifted and a door opened filling the forest with the scent of burning jasmine. The red-haired devil Queen emerged, her golden eyes sparkling even in the darkness. The human mob closed in and leveled their weapons at us.

"Wait." Queen Beryl spoke quietly, but in a commanding tone. The mob halted.

"Queen Beryl, they must be spies sent by the King!" one of the guards grunted in her ear as he eyed us with suspicion and merciless venom.

"I want you all to return to the main encampment." Queen Beryl said almost soothingly, "Be quick. Stay there and do not forget your purpose."

"My Queen, let us deal with these spies!" Another man hollered, "For your glory, let us send them back to Endymion without their heads!"

"Be silent, you fool!" The Queen spat back at him, "These are no mere spies." She turned towards Jadeite and I with an almost appreciative glance, "They are two of the Shitennou." A gasp ran through the crowd of peasant soldiers and they suddenly became tense and began to inch away, "Even if you were to attack them all at once you would never stand a chance."

"We can't leave you alone with them, my Queen!" A woman in the crowd pleaded.

"I'll be fine." Beryl assured her entourage, "Now go. All of you."

With an awkward silence the group of roughneck soldiers began to disperse. In moments they had faded back into the forest and were gone. Jadeite eased his guard and slipped his sword back into his scabbard leaving me to hold the nefarious Queen at the edge of my blade.

"I can't say I'm surprised to see you." Queen Beryl addressed me directly, "When we first met you seemed so much more intelligent and level than your bull-headed friend Nephrite." She glanced at Jadeite and then to the empty space between us, "Where is he, I wonder?"

"Be quiet." I ordered shakily, still unsure as to the depth of her power or why should would have presented herself as such an easy target.

"I suppose it's my own fault for making such a display in the capitol yesterday." The Queen thought aloud, "I can only transport myself over short distances, you see, and it's so taxing on me that I can take days to recover…"

"I am charging you with murder, war-mongering, treason, and willful disruption of the peace." I told the devilish woman, "We are taking you to Elysion where you will be jailed and interrogated by a court of law before facing King Endymion's judgment."

"King Endymion's judgment has been affected as of late." Beryl growled in a whisper, "It must be the moonlight…"

I edged towards the Queen and put my lips near her ear, "Be thankful you do not face _my_ judgment, witch, or this forest would be your tomb."

Queen Beryl snickered and looked over my shoulder at Jadeite, "It doesn't look to me as though your companion approves of your brand of justice."

Jadeite looked on feeling awkward and distressed. He bit his lip and cast his eyes down to the ground. Queen Beryl's lips curled up into a vicious smile and without further pretense she offered her pale bare wrists to me. I wasted no time and retrieved a pair of iron shackles from around my belt and bound her fast. She tested the strength of the chain and offered, apparently, a satisfied grin.

"Shall we proceed?" She asked expectantly.

"After you, my Queen." I ordered with a sneer.

She began walking at a surprisingly brisk pace through the forest while Jadeite and I followed behind at her sides. The forest and marshes soon gave way to the wide, verdant Elysian Fields under the blanket of darkness of the starless night. In my mind I was silently dreading our return to the city. Some would cheer in victory, others would wail in defeat. Our people were divided and the capture of the Dark Queen would turn the tide one way or another. The only thing that suppressed my elation at the successful completion of our mission was how simple it had been. The youma offered barely any resistance considering they were guarding their Queen, and Beryl seemed to offer herself with little to no hesitation. I suspected she held hidden motives or powers to be unleashed once she was in the city, but I had little choice but to follow through now.

* * *

Nephrite and his phalanx of soldiers strode up the marble stairs of the palace in the black dead of night. Torches along the columns cast their useless glow against the shining armor of the small force. Some late-living citizens fell in behind the soldiers to see what the commotion was about. They had nearly reached the peak of the stairs when the large wooden doors of the palace swung open. A second force, twice as large and heavily armed spilled out onto the façade and down the stairs to surround Nephrite's unit. They planted their halberds loudly into the stone and their commander, the towering Kunzite, paced out of the palace interior and looked down grimly.

"Nephrite." He asked calmly, "What are you doing?"

"We have come to secure the palace." Nephrite answered honestly. Kunzite's eyebrow rose up.

"My men and I never leave the palace." Kunzite answered him, "It is _very_ secure. You know that."

"Kunzite, stand aside." Nephrite ordered with all the sincerity and remorse he could muster, "Please trust me."

The eldest king smirked, "Stand aside?" He laughed. Once. "Nephrite, have you lost your mind completely?"

"I don't want to escalate this any more than you do, Kunzite." Nephrite answered honestly, "Please, for both our sakes, let me pass."

"I will not." The bold Shitennou declared in his authoritative manner.

"Please." Nephrite practically begged.

"I am going to assume that the late hour has stunted your judgment." Kunzite patronized his brother-in-arms, "I suggest you return to your chambers and send these fine men back to their bunks before I do in a most unpleasant fashion."

"I do not want to resort to violence." Nephrite said on the edge of sadness, "Please, you _must_ trust me!"

"I _must_ trust no one but Master Endymion!" Kunzite thundered and suddenly his mighty sword was in his hand, leveled towards his brother Shitennou.

"Master Endymion is not here." Nephrite said coldly.

"What?"

"This very night I have seen our Master break the taboo." The conflicted warlord explained, "With my own eyes I saw him enter the Astral Gate and travel to the Moon."

"You expect me to believe you?" Kunzite asked, shocked, "After everything that you've done these past months you expect me to take you on your word?"

"I am a Shitennou of Endymion first and always, Kunzite, just like you!" Nephrite said proudly, "Send guards or go yourself to our Master's chambers. You will see what I've told you is true."

"Even if our Master has ventured beyond our world what right do you have to come here, armed, to seize the palace?" Kunzite barked.

"Our Master has been blinded from his true purpose by the Moon Kingdom and her ilk." Nephrite explained his situation, "He has left Earth in its hour of greatest need and focuses all his attention on his love of Serenity. We must face him upon his return and break him of Her spell!"

"Her spell is love, Nephrite, as inconvenient and unorthodox as it may be." Kunzite retorted, "I do not agree with our Master's decision to marry, but I will not take up arms against him."

"Then withdraw and let me pass!" Nephrite ordered again.

"Withdraw?" Kunzite gasped, "You may as well ask me to fall upon my sword."

"I only seek the chance to protect and serve Endymion!" Nephrite hollered, pumping his sword in the air, "Elysion is weak at this very moment, Kunzite. We must secure the palace and be ready to confront the King!"

"Not like this we won't." Kunzite defended again.

Nephrite began to laugh, "Kunzite…" He pointed his sword accusatorily, "What happened to the great warrior? What happened to the man who was boldest among us?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"You've become a lapdog, Kunzite." Nephrite insulted his eldest companion, "You're a bureaucrat. You air on the side of caution so often that I think you cannot even swing that sword you carry." Nephrite's eyes narrowed at him, "You've become soft and blind yourself. I suspect Princess Mianko's interest was to tame the greatest of us and groom him for a lifetime of servitude in her Alliance."

"You forget your place." Kunzite growled.

"My place is standing by my Master's side as Earth leads this solar system into a new age of peace and prosperity." The frightful warlord exclaimed, "You've become nothing more than a mouthpiece for the Silver Alliance who only wants to tame and cage us!"

"Nephrite." Kunzite stated icily, "Test me further and I will relieve you."

"You have no power over me, Kunzite!" Nephrite declared, "You may be my commander in rank, but I answer only to Master Endymion!" Nephrite spat on the ground at Kunzite's feet, "You've always set yourself on a pedestal, but the Shitennou have always been equal in the eyes of our Master."

"The only reason I have let this farce continue as long as it has is because you are a Shitennou." Kunzite answered the challenge, "If you were any other man I would have attendants digging you a grave right now."

"You couldn't take up your sword against me if you wanted to." Nephrite chastised him, "Because I am a Shitennou and your brother through that bond you can't raise a hand to do me harm. It only shows your weakness further."

"You're right, Nephrite." Kunzite confessed and Nephrite's jaw loosened slightly, "But what am I to do? You came here with soldiers to seize the palace, the seat of our Master's power. And I, sworn to protect him, cannot simply step aside no matter the foe."

"Then I will take this place by force." Nephrite said in a cold voice.

He raised his sword over his head to attack and Kunzite simply closed his eyes. The air around them crackled and Kunzite's sword glowed pale blue. Nephrite swung down hard and Kunzite brought his sword up to block. The energized blade and Nephrite's sword exploded in a hail of sparks and a shower of molten steel. Nephrite felt the unbelievable rush of power released by the eldest Shitennou and very nearly had the wind knocked out of him. He staggered back and threw down his ruined hilt which had superheated and burnt his hand. Kunzite flared out his free palm, his cape blew straight back behind him and a powerful gust of magical wind like a hurricane blew Nephrite's soldiers off their feet and back down the stairs. Nephrite stood his ground with his arms crossed in front of him, but he was forced down to one knee. When Nephrite looked up he was met with the glowing blue edge of Kunzite's sword.

"Yield." Kunzite ordered.

"No."

For several moments the two men glared at each other. Neither moved nor spoke. The soldiers of Kunzite's guard had herded Nephrite's small force into a corner of the plaza with their halberds leveled at their throats. Kunzite glanced up to see the final sliver of the Moon sinking below the horizon. He sighed heavily to himself and his sword lost its pale sheen. He replaced the weapon in its scabbard and relaxed his stance.

"I cannot strike you down." Kunzite told Nephrite in a matter-of-fact manner, "And no prison will hold you."

"You must kill me." Nephrite told his elder counterpart, "Or I will not stop."

Kunzite considered his words for a moment and spoke: "Perhaps you are acting in what you believe is in our Master's best interest, but…" Kunzite sighed wistfully, "I am bound by my duty to protect him from every threat. And you have become a threat, Nephrite."

Nephrite didn't speak. Kunzite didn't draw his sword. Instead the eldest king looked out over the plaza to the great gates of the city beyond and motioned with a subtle nod.

"You can't be serious." Nephrite dismissed the notion.

"Please." Kunzite pleaded with his old friend.

"You would send me away knowing full well I intend to return?" Nephrite asked amusedly, "You call me a threat, say you must protect Endymion and you are asking me to simply walk away?"

"_If_ you return, Nephrite," Kunzite promised with a pained glare and a hand on the pommel of his vicious sword, "You will face me again."

Nephrite balled up a fist and then flung it into the air next to him. A burst of static followed as a dark stain like spilled ink appeared floating in the empty space near him. Kunzite recognized it as the same type of portal Nephrite had crafted in his chambers.

"_When_ I return you had best muster the courage to do what you could not do today." Nephrite spoke threateningly, "Because I will not be so merciful."

With that the wayward Shitennou walked into the portal and was stolen from sight. The black orifice crumpled in on itself and vanished with a flash leaving Kunzite standing alone on the stairs of the palace. With a cursory nod his soldiers began withdrawing back into the building, but Kunzite stayed there long after pondering what had happened. In all of his long life the great king had never felt so melancholy. For the first time in many long years he felt as though he had made a mistake or perhaps not considered all of his options. Nephrite's words about Master Endymion, Serenity, and even Princess Mianko weighed heavily on him. He clenched his eyes tight. Something moist glistened in their corners…

* * *

When we entered the capitol plaza we found Kunzite standing alone on the stairs appearing to be deep in thought. Whatever was arresting him we interrupted with our entry.

"Kunzite!" I cried out as loud as I could, "Wake the King, we've done it!"

"Done wha—" Kunzite began to ask, but he stopped cold as his eyes fell on the woman standing between Jadeite and I, submissive and with hands bound in chains, "Is that…"

"Queen Beryl at your service, my lord." The Queen answered with a respectful bow, "It seems I am at your mercy and that of your _King_." She hissed the word as if it tasted bitter.

"Rouse your guard, Kunzite!" Jadeite suggested, "Call for Master Endymion and Nephrite!"

"Guards!" Kunzite hollered at full volume and in moments his soldiers were there. Defying all their training they gasped in shock upon seeing the Queen. Kunzite perceived, but ignored it, "Take our guest to a cell and await further instructions."

The guards nodded and six of them formed a protective ring around Queen Beryl and led her away as the Queen leered over her shoulder with her blood-red lips grinning all the way. Kunzite watched as they disappeared into the dungeons and then looked back at us with a scowl.

"Not the reaction I had expected." Jadeite said sarcastically.

"Kunzite, I know what you're going to say, but please save it for tomorrow's report." I pleaded, unable to help but smile, "This is a great victory!"

"Nephrite is gone." Kunzite said flatly and suddenly all the joy was dropped from our conversation.

Somehow I understood what he meant. Nephrite was not simply missing or off on a journey taken without notice. He was _gone_; truly and completely. My knees felt weak. Jadeite's face had lost its color. It was unthinkable that one of the Shitennou could ever conceive of turning his back on Endymion and the Golden Kingdom, but Nephrite had done just that.

"So much for our grand victory." I growled in my throat.

"It's still a victory." Jadeite said weakly, as if speaking were painful, "Now it's just a hollow one."


	27. Chapter 22, The Queen's Gambit

**TWENTY-TWO**

**The Queen's Gambit**

The Silver Alliance was stunned when they heard the news.

Endymion himself was speechless when he caught sight of the Queen of the Dark Kingdom sitting contentedly in a dank prison cell with her wiry arms shackled to the walls. Kunzite never revealed to us Nephrite's declaration that Endymion had broken the taboo and traveled to the Moon, but we learned it for ourselves through word of mouth around the capitol. The soldiers Nephrite had taken to seize the palace were reprimanded and disciplined severely by the eldest Shitennou, but not even fear of Kunzite's wrath could keep them completely silent. The rumor of the King's crime spread quickly. Thankfully we had our own news to disseminate.

"The woman called Beryl, Queen of the Dark Kingdom who so boldly appeared among us just days ago has been captured!" Endymion announced to the throng of citizens that gathered in the plaza that morning, "This very night she was discovered and arrested by my Shitennou and she now sits in our dungeon awaiting judgment for her crimes!"

"And what of _your_ crimes?" hollered a belligerent man in the crowd, "We hear you travel to the Moon against your own laws!"

Endymion did not flinch at the accusation. Not even Kunzite who could read Endymion better than anyone could detect the slightest hint of emotion betraying the King's resolve.

"You have been hexed by the Moon-folk!" A woman cried out.

"You have lost your way!" another exclaimed.

"I cannot abide this insolence." Kunzite directed his rage to our Master's ear.

Endymion ignored his eldest advisor and called out: "Good people of Elysion, I assure you this: no matter the rumors you have heard or the propaganda you've read I have _not_ lost my way, I have _not _been hexed and I have _never_ been as adamant in my desire to protect and serve this Kingdom and its people."

"You betray us by marrying the Moon-child!" A dissenter yelled up to the King.

"Treasonous filth!" Kunzite barked and pointed his gauntleted hand at the rowdy citizen. Immediately guards began to force their way through the crowd to surround the man.

"Halt!" Endymion ordered loudly and the guards stopped.

"Master!" Kunzite gasped.

"Call your guards back, Kunzite." Endymion ordered.

"I cannot sit by while these dissenters slander you." Kunzite said gripping the hilt of his sword in frustration. "You are the King! The people are to show you respect!"

"They are just words, Kunzite." Endymion assured his eldest warrior, "And every citizen of this Kingdom has a right to speak them." He smiled reassuringly, "Words can't hurt me."

"When used properly they can, Master, much more than the fiercest army." I added, having remained silent for much of the day in light of such weighted events as Beryl's capture and Nephrite's disappearance.

"I thank you for your vigilance Zoisite, Kunzite." The King said cordially, "But we cannot begin jailing our own people for speaking their minds."

I deferred to my Master's judgment: "Of course." Kunzite nodded in loyal agreement despite his anger.

"Good." Endymion said smiling and then turned back to the balcony to address the people again.

"I know you have struggled with my intention to wed Princess Serenity, but I implore you to see beyond petty jealousy and resentment of her kind!" Endymion called out pleadingly, "She and I share the dream of uniting our people finally and forever in the Silver Alliance."

"And will they accept us now that Queen Beryl has been captured or will they simply shun us as inferiors as they have for millennia?" The same enraged dissenter demanded.

"I don't know." Endymion honestly admitted and the crowd below erupted into a confused din of anger and speculation. The King silenced them with his powerful voice: "However, I can tell you this: The Silver Alliance has much to offer us."

"They've not offered it in the past!" Another person yelled and received a chorus of agreement.

"Their technology has greatly advanced while ours has remained stagnant in isolation." Endymion said ignoring the outburst, "They can help us cure disease and eliminate poverty and hunger as it has been on the other member planets."

A ripple of interest shot through the crowd. The King tensed when he heard it and realized that he may have found an outlet for his perspective to finally take hold again.

"The influx of knowledge from the other planets would only serve to further enrich our ancient, honorable culture!" Endymion added with sudden exuberance, "And the Alliance will learn from us the tenacity and resolve of the good, hard-working citizens of Elysion! You yourselves will be held in example! You are the unwavering spirit of this world which the Silver Alliance admires most of all!"

I couldn't help but be moved at my Master's words. He never spoke flippantly or for any other purpose than to deliver his point. He was passionate about admitting Earth into the Alliance; it was his single-minded goal. The crowd below buzzed with conversation as the King's words took root. It seemed that tolerance could be sown as easily as dissent if one was persistent enough and Endymion was nothing if not persistent.

"Good people of the Golden Kingdom." Endymion addressed the mass of citizens fondly, "You have known me as your King and as your friend for many years." He smiled for all of them, not for any reason but to show his affection for every man, woman and child there. "I do not act rashly or on impulse. I am not careless with my decisions and I will not support any measure that it is not in the best interest of you, my dear friends. "

"Though none of you have seen her face or heard her voice Queen Serenity and the Silver Alliance has always been there." He gestured to the sky where this evening the glowing sphere of the Moon would hang above. "The Moon has protected us, but it is time for us to rise up and declare that we no longer need protection, but _inclusion_. We have suffered and endured many trials, but now it is time for us to seize our reward! Never again should we feel threatened by foes. Never again should children go hungry or families live in destitution. Never again should men and women perish from a disease we lacked the wisdom to combat!"

Unexpectedly I heard cheers in the crowd along with spotty applause. I could not believe that in so short a time Endymion had swayed these men and women.

"The Silver Alliance offers us a chance not to fade and become homogenized, but to flourish along with our brothers and sisters of every planet in this wondrous community." Endymion continued, "I do not ask for your blessing or support; I ask only for your trust. _Trust me_, Elysion! I cannot call myself your King without it and I will not presume to be such unless I have it."

"Master?" I gasped at his completely unorthodox declaration.

"What are you doing?" Kunzite asked as taken aback as myself.

"We have journeyed a long, difficult road together." Endymion continued on in spite of our objections, "Will you offer me that same trust I have relied on my whole life?" Endymion closed his eyes, "One more time?"

There was a still, powerful silence from the plaza below. My mouth hung open. Kunzite looked on at Endymion as though he had taken a blow to the gut. Jadeite, silent through it all, clenched his eyes as well dreading the possible backlash against our Master's selfless speech.

"You have my trust, Endymion!" a voice called out. It belonged to a man in the crowd whose rugged features and plain, soiled clothes identified him as a simple farmer. The conviction in his eyes matched or even exceeded that of any senator, soldier or Shitennou.

The farmer's declaration echoed throughout the plaza. The people were silent for many long moments as they weighed their thoughts.

"I'll follow you, my king!" a second voice called out after some time, this one belonging to a portly blacksmith who I recognized from his shop in the city.

"You've carried us through worse things than some pompous Moon-kind!" Another rugged man added with a distrustful glance up at the sky, "Hell, I'll follow you!"

"So will I!" His wife added.

"And me!" cried another in the crowd.

"I trust you, Endymion!"

"I'll always trust you, my liege!"

"My trust in the King!"

"I'm your man, my lord!"

"He saved us from the Dark Kingdom!"

"Endymion!"

"Endymion!

"_**ENDYMION!"**_

The voices below combined from scattered shouts of support into a deafening, thunderous chorus of cheers and adulation. Somehow, even through the masterful manipulations of the dark Queen held captive in the dungeons beneath us; even through the people's mistrust and prejudice against the Silver Alliance Endymion had managed to reach them through the strength of his own conviction. The King accepted their trust with quiet dignity. His eyes remained closed though a thin smile drew across his face. Kunzite's normally impassive countenance read only astonishment.

"We have our people behind us." Endymion said to his three remaining Shitennou, "That is all we ever need."

"What do we do now?" Jadeite asked.

"We confront the Silver Alliance directly." Endymion stated, "No more councils or months of correspondence. I am going to personally invite Queen Serenity to the palace and petition her face-to-face."

"Very bold of you." Kunzite interjected his thoughts, "But that may not be prudent at this time."

"Because of Nephrite?" Endymion assumed.

"Because of Nephrite." Kunzite concurred, "There is no telling where he is or what he may do. If he returns and still desires confrontation he could be extremely dangerous."

We were silent. The crowd below was still cheering even though Endymion had turned to address us. The juxtaposition of their adulation and our own melancholy was a painful mixture. I hoped to be relieved of it soon. I hoped more than anything to begin searching for our lost brother.

"Keep every guard on alert." Endymion told Kunzite sternly, not allowing his feelings of guilt or remorse over Nephrite's defection to color his inflection, "Secure his chambers and make sure the port is well-defended. We can't take the chance that he would commandeer the _Gemini_ or any other ship again."

"Understood." Kunzite acknowledged, "What of our guest?"

"Yes, what about her?" Endymion echoed the question, "Queen Beryl is being remarkably cooperative considering what you told of the enormity of her powers."

"I don't pretend to know why." I assured the King, "It is strange, but she seems almost content."

"Are we absolutely certain it's her and not some proxy?" Kunzite demanded his answer.

"Yes, we—" I almost let slip Artemis' involvement in tracking down the Queen, but held my tongue. "We are certain."

"From what you told me Zoisite it seems that she could tear down her prison walls or simply vanish into thin air if she wanted to." Endymion recalled to me.

"I only know what I saw and felt, Master." I reminded him, "I can't explain why she is choosing not to exercise those powers."

"Perhaps she can't right now." Jadeite theorized, "Remember in the forest when we captured her she mentioned how transporting herself in and out of the city was taxing to her? She said it could take days for her to recover."

"So she is waiting in our own dungeons for her strength to return?" Kunzite snapped to attention, "She means to strike us from within our own walls?"

"She could have done that months ago if she wanted to." I assuaged his suspicion, "I believed her when she said such powers were taxing."

"So what does she intend to do when she recovers her strength? Kunzite strategized, "And is there anything we can do to prevent it in the first place?"

"Jadeite." Endymion called to the youngest Shitennou and the blonde man snapped to attention, "I want you to visit the Queen."

"Me?" Jadeite paled at the request.

"Use your silver tongue, my friend." Endymion said with a smirk, "If anyone can get answers from this woman it will be you."

"Perhaps against one of our own, Master, but this Beryl is a completely different creature!" Jadeite said almost in a panic, "And I don't believe my techniques of illusion will be of any use against someone of her power."

"We mustn't distract ourselves with talk of her 'power' any longer." Endymion more or less ordered, "She is flesh and blood which means she is subject to the same stimuli as any one of us. I'm not asking you to work miracles, Jadeite, just talk to her."

"Of course, Master." Jadeite relented.

"Zoisite, I—" My Master began and then stopped when he looked at me, struggling with words, "I simply need you at your best, as you've always given me."

"Master?"

"I have a feeling the senshi will be returning to us in the very near future." Endymion proposed, "With Nephrite missing and Beryl in our prison we are going to be stretched thin. I need your patience and wisdom now more than ever."

"Absolutely." I assured my King, "I will not fail you."

"I know." Endymion smiled, "Now, let us make haste. There is much to do and time is always against us."

The Shitennou bowed respectfully and we went our separate ways. Jadeite went off to prepare for his meeting with Beryl while Kunzite marched down the hallway bellowing orders to his guards as he went. It felt unnervingly strange to turn my head and not see Nephrite who would have been right there with us undoubtedly going his own way to fulfill whatever orders Endymion had given him.

I tried to distract myself from the unwanted feeling by considering what I could do in this situation. I wanted to go out and search for my lost companion, but Endymion certainly wouldn't allow it and I could not ask him for leave to pursue a search now that he requested my continued vigilance. Whatever Nephrite's fate was it would have to remain undiscovered for now. My only consolation came from the fact that the Dark Kingdom's leader was currently residing in our dungeon; hopefully ruling out the possibility that Nephrite would seek her out.

I began to think of questions that I might ask the dark Queen should Jadeite fail to glean any information from her, but all I could think about was how she had manipulated us for so long from within our own borders. The thought made me boil over with anger, but with no outlet currently available I swallowed it back down like a fiery tonic. My thoughts shifted to what Endymion had told me; surely the Silver Alliance would be sending its representatives back to us now that tensions across the Golden Kingdom had eased considerably following Beryl's capture, but would they really send the senshi again? I contemplated the question and inevitably I was led to the only conclusion I could draw: If they did send the senshi I would be able to see Ami again.

Her playful, studious face crept into my mind's eye. I didn't think about much else the rest of the day.

* * *

A heavy iron beam lay across the door to Queen Beryl's cell. Jadeite lifted it up and away with ease when it would have normally taken two or more soldiers. The door slid open to the small, featureless room made of dark gray stone and iron. There was a smattering of hay on the dirt floor and an uncomfortable wooden cot on which the Queen sat bound and chained to wall. Jadeite's eyes were thin slits and his chest was puffed out to present himself as powerful and intimidating, but in truth he was nervous. The door shut behind him, the iron bar was replaced and he nodded to the guards outside to take their leave.

"Hello, Jadeite." Beryl greeted the young Shitennou with what might have been genuine cordiality.

"You know me?" Jadeite asked astonished by this woman already.

"Only as well as a simple servant girl could within the court of Endymion." Beryl responded cryptically, "I followed your affairs with great interest; every time you returned victorious from battle or appeared with a new woman on your arm longing to tame your wild heart, which of course no woman ever could."

"Forgive me, but I don't find you familiar." Jadeite apologized.

"Because I don't want you to." Beryl told him with a smugness that turned his stomach.

"Do you know where Nephrite has gone?" Jadeite sidestepped any further pleasantries and simply started his questioning.

"Why, have you lost him?" Beryl asked as though Nephrite were little more than a wayward pet.

"Where exactly is the Dark Kingdom located?" Jadeite asked a completely different question.

"You seem nervous." Queen Beryl observed from his peculiar behavior, "Are you coming up with these questions off the top of your head?"

"I might be." Jadeite admitted with a grin, "But I'm the one asking questions."

Queen Beryl chuckled slightly, "Very well, Shitennou. I shall answer to the best of my ability."

"Why are you here?" Jadeite struck straight to the point.

"Because you captured me." Beryl reminded the young king with an almost apologetic shrug, "Or do you mean _'why am I here'_ in the sense of why do exist at all?"

"Your choice." Jadeite wisely turned the question back on her.

"Because I _have _to exist." Queen Beryl told him firmly, "Endymion needs me."

"I think he's been doing very well without you." Jadeite suggested.

"Endymion needs me." Beryl repeated, "Because his people no longer need him."

"Is that so?"

"The people of this world are on the brink of an explosion." Beryl explained in her curious way, "They have grown to the point that they can no longer be contained or controlled and yet Endymion wants to usher them into a stagnant alliance where instead of expanding and flourishing thy will be subdued and tamed."

"I don't believe my Master sees the Alliance in quite the same light as you." Jadeite offered.

"No, he seems to believe they offer us safety and security." Beryl sneered, "He wants the people to believe that their reward for generations of toil and suffering is to sit on their laurels under the protective wing of Serenity and her senshi centurions."

"The senshi are not centurions, they're peacekeepers." Jadeite corrected the Queen, "They keep this system safe from all outside threats."

"Outside threats?" Beryl cackled, "And what of the threats within our precious solar system? What of the animosity, jealousy and bitterness that has already torn the planets apart once before when the Golden Millennium ended in chaos?"

"How do you know about that?" Jadeite asked stunned that the Queen could know of something that until recently was known only to the Shitennou and Helios.

"Because I was there." Beryl told him, "As were you and the rest of your Shitennou brethren. We lived together in the Lost City going about our lives as carefree as any of your people do today."

"That's absurd." Jadeite refuted her, "There's no way anyone could remember that."

"The Golden Crystal is more than just a stone of holy power." Beryl said and Jadeite's face fell at the mention of the relic. Perhaps that was her target? Perhaps that was why she was biding her time in the dungeon while her power grew; to seize the Golden Crystal for herself?

"What do you know of the Golden Crystal?" Jadeite demanded.

"The Golden Crystal and this planet are one." Beryl said reminding Jadeite of the little he knew of the mystical talisman, "It is the heart of the Earth, the source of its energy and the seed of all life." Queen Beryl motioned to world beyond her prison cell, "Consider a simple plant, one that blooms in the spring and summer, but dies in the winter only to rise again to new life in the spring. The Earth as a whole can die and rise again thanks to the Golden Crystal."

"What?" Jadeite asked breathlessly.

"The Crystal contains within it the record of all life on Earth and its power is what keeps the planet in equilibrium and drives forward our evolution." Beryl explained, "But if that power is unchecked in can be disastrous, which is why the Golden Crystal chose a caretaker; someone to keep it and act as a conduit for the energy of life."

"Endymion." Jadeite gasped.

"Endymion." Beryl echoed, "So you can see why I am concerned as to the direction he is leading our planet."

"How do you know all this?" Jadeite asked.

"It was common knowledge in the Golden Millennium." Beryl answered in a tone suggestion Jadeite should have already known. "Nothing more than idle chatter, really."

"I don't remember any of it." Jadeite admitted and cast his glance downward.

"Because your mind has not yet been opened to the memory." Beryl explained factually, "When my memories of the Golden Millennium resurfaced I thought myself mad; I assumed my years of isolation had simply driven me to the brink, but slowly I began to understand."

"You understood what?" Jadeite asked expectantly.

"I could not allow this planet to be destroyed a second time." Queen Beryl replied icily, "I understood that as a consequence of the fall of the Golden Millennium that the Moon was born and along with it the line of Queen Serenity who has watched from on high and suppressed us for generations." The Queen's fury rattled against her chains, "Our civilization was the greatest among all the planets during the Golden Millennium. We were respected and _feared,_ but now, thanks to your Master and the wretched Silver Alliance we are looked down on as little more than barbarians."

"That's where you're wrong." Jadeite said to the queen with a smile, "We're not looked down upon as the black sheep of this system. We were, once, but no longer. We are seen as a shining example of how far humanity has come."

"Oh, Jadeite…" the Queen sighed inwardly, "I had hoped your mind was open, but I see you too have fallen under the sway of all the propaganda and empty promises."

"Be silent." Jadeite ordered forcefully, "I trust Endymion. I would not be in this room right now if I didn't and regardless of what you say you have been waging war against us! You say you want to help the people of this world and allow them to grow and flourish, but you've been _killing_ them!"

"I needed to get your attention somehow." Queen Beryl said without a lick of remorse.

"You had my attention when you sent us north to that Lost City." Jadeite replied and his hands balled into fists, "When I was there I was exposed to hazy memories of the Golden Millennium, I don't know if they were real or something you fabricated, but I saw myself fight as a soldier, which I have always been. I saw myself die as a soldier; more than that I felt it."

He continued, "It was then that I realized that I had a chance to save myself, my brothers, and my King from sharing that fate again. It's the reason you are still alive because I will no longer make war. I've seen what it does, I've felt it."

"Do you want to know what exactly destroyed our world all those long ages ago?" Beryl asked, her voice positively soaked in temptation.

"I know what destroyed us." Jadeite told her surely, "War destroyed us. Violence ripped us apart. It was our own need for bloodshed that wiped us out. It was people like _you_."

"So you think it was divine retribution for our violent, sinful ways?" Bery laughed at him, "You wound me with such ignorance."

"Believe what you want to, witch." Jadeite snapped at her, "I know what happened. I've seen what aimless violence does; I was shown how war and death nearly destroyed this entire system."

"By whom, I wonder?" Beryl asked simply for dramatic effect, "Your little Martian princess, I presume."

Jadeite's jaw clenched, "What?"

"Her father, the King, he passed away recently, didn't he?" Beryl continued and offered an obviously forced look of regret, "Such a shame. He was so young and full of life."

"Young? Jadeite asked and barked out a nervous laugh, "Now I know you're delusional. He was elderly, gray and weak. He looked to be at least eighty."

"Eighty?" Beryl gasped at the number, "I didn't think he was _that_ young."

"Enough." Jadeite ordered believing Beryl was trying to throw him off guard by making such obviously false accusations, "This has nothing to do with the Princess or her father."

"True enough, I suppose." Beryl agreed, "What were we discussing… oh yes! The tragic end of the Golden Millennium."

"I don't care to listen to your fanciful tales any longer." Jadeite halted the story before it began, "I want to know what you're doing here."

"What I'm doing?" Beryl echoed the words and raised her shackled wrists to the Shitennou, "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"You are more powerful than this." Jadeite accused the Queen, "Why do you sit in a jail cell when you could pull it down around you?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean." Beryl answered with intentionally heavy sarcasm.

"Then our conversation is finished." Jadeite declared and called for the guards to return. The heavy iron bar was removed and the hinges groaned as the door swung open. Jadeite stepped into the frame when he heard her voice behind him again.

"It was the senshi who did it, you know." Beryl called out and Jadeite stopped in his tracks, "Well, one of the senshi anyway, though they were all responsible."

"What are you talking about?" Jadeite demanded.

"They could have stopped her if they wanted to, but the senshi decided Earth was too great a threat and so they let her off the leash." Beryl explained, "You see, one of them possesses a power so intense she can destroy entire worlds."

"Which one?" Jadeite asked immediately.

"I don't remember."

"As I suspected." Jadeite scoffed at the Queen. "No one is that powerful."

He turned to leave again when Beryl hissed, "Metalia is that powerful."

"Metalia?" Jadeite asked feeling a distant sense of familiarity with the word, "Who is that?"

Queen Beryl smiled. Her red lips were curled up in points that looked almost inhuman. Her sharp teeth glistened in the gloom of the dungeon. She stretched her arms out and her joints cracked and the Queen let out a forced, dramatic yawn.

"I'm afraid this interrogation has simply sapped away all my strength." The mischievous Queen said as she lay down on the cot, "Perhaps after I've rested…"

The veins on Jadeite's arms threatened to pop as he coiled in his fist as hard as he could. Still he resisted the urge to throttle the Queen and force the necessary information from her. He stormed out of the dungeon as the guards slammed shut the door and replaced the iron bar across it. As he made his way back up into the city proper his mind swam with thoughts and ideas. The Golden Millennium, Metalia, his hazy memory of his own death, the Golden Crystal, Endymion; all of it formed a complicated mess. He needed hours to process it all, perhaps with Zoisite's help who was much more orderly and direct in his thought process.

The one thought that stood out most prominently was Queen Beryl's announcement that the senshi had been responsible for the near-destruction of the Earth at the end of the Golden Millennium. The thought did not sit well, especially considering everything he had been told about that dark time by Rei. He was attempting to force the unpleasant thought away before it could even take shape, but he was unsuccessful. Rei had told him that she wanted Jadeite to experience the ways of Mars so that, by some remote chance, the Earth as a whole would benefit from their pacifism. She was ashamed of her past and wanted to change Jadeite's future and the future of the Earth for the better.

She was so ashamed of her past because _she_ was the one who nearly destroyed the Earth…

Jadeite shook the thought away, it was ridiculous. The Golden Millennium was hundreds if not thousands of years in the past; there was no way Rei could have been involved in that destruction, although he did not rule out one of her ancestors. Still, he thought she would have at least offered that information unless she thought he wouldn't be able to handle it. He also considered Beryl's surprise at the age of Rei's father. Jadeite stopped and realized he knew far less about the Martian princess and her people than he thought. If he saw her again he would have to ask her difficult questions and it pained him to imagine the Princess looking uncomfortable and betrayed as he interrogated her. His powers of illusion only made his imagination that more vivid and in times like these it was less a gift and more of a curse.

"The one time I need you, Nephrite." He said to himself with an ironic grin, "I could do with some of your strong, silent detachment right about now."

Jadeite continued walking. Tomorrow he would question Queen Beryl again. If things went well on Endymion's part the senshi might even return tomorrow and he would be able to see Rei again despite the weighted thoughts he had about her now. Tomorrow things would make more sense.

* * *

High above the Earth the Moon circled through the infinite blackness of space. Princess and Queen stood by the Lunar Astral Gate as they watched four of their closest friends and comrades step through the enchanted arches. Queen Serenity did not have to speak, bow, or offer an outward sign of any kind for the princesses of the Inner Planets to know she loved and respected them as much as her own beloved daughter. Minako's smile was the last thing they saw as the magical gateway whisked them away to the blue planet below.

"I don't know why." Princess Serenity said as her eyes filled with tears, "But I get the feeling that I'm never going to see them again."

"Now Sere, none of that kind of talk." Her mother told her with boundless empathy, "Queen Beryl has been captured and the threat of the Dark Kingdom is nearly over." Her mother gestured to the planet, "And soon you and your honorable Prince Endymion will unite our people at last."

"He's King now, mother." Serenity reminded the matriarch.

"He will always be that sweet boy-Prince to me." She remembered fondly.

"I only wish we could have helped him." Serenity sighed as she watched the Earth drift lazily by, "I wish we didn't have to wait so long while his people died down there."

"They needed to come around on their own, just like every other planet in the Alliance." The Queen reminded her daughter, "It is Endymion's love that drives him; love of his people and his planet." She looked down at the Princess, "His love of you."

"I just hope it's enough." The Princess said, almost a whisper.

"Serenity." Her mother said and turned the Princess by her shoulders to face her, "Love is _always _enough."

Mother and daughter smiled at each other as the Earth rose above them. A slight sound from the archway behind them called their attention. Princess Haruka of Uranus and Michiru of Neptune stood beside one other. The tall blonde princess of Uranus beckoned for Queen Serenity and she nodded towards them.

"Sere, could you find Luna for me?" The Queen asked her daughter, "There are a few things I need to discuss with her." She glanced over her shoulder at the two Princesses and whispered, "I need to speak to the _happy couple_."

Princess Serenity stifled an embarrassed laugh, "Of course, mother."

With that she left and once the Queen could no longer see her bobbing pigtails on the horizon her smile of motherly affection was replaced by the powerful, expressionless countenance of her matriarchal position. She approached Haruka and Michiru quickly.

"Tell me you have good news." Queen Serenity pleaded to the duo.

"I'm sorry, your majesty." Michiru answered sullenly.

"So you've confirmed Artemis' findings, then?" The Queen asked with a frown.

"Yes." The Princess of Neptune replied, "Dark spots have begun appearing on the surface of the sun; the same magnitude and frequency as during the Golden Millennium."

Serenity took this news in with a deep breath and closed her eyes. She did not allow emotion to overcome her. "How is Hotaru?"

"She's back home at Titan Castle just as inquisitive and innocent as ever." Haruka said fondly, "She spends hours a day just staring at the roses she brought back from Earth."

"And Setsuna?" Serenity inquired further.

"Keeping watch on her from a distance." Haruka said, "She's back at her post guarding the Gates of Time. She was grateful for the vacation."

"That poor girl." Serenity smiled softly, but sadly, "I shouldn't have recalled you from Earth the way I did. They have enough problems to deal with as it is and I'm sure I aroused Endymion's suspicions just gathering you all back here like that without explanation."

"I'm sure he can handle it." Haruka said somewhat scornfully, "And Setsuna relayed her message to him through one of Endymion's Shitennou."

"Good, I'm sure he'll take all the necessary precautions." Serenity said and slid down onto a nearby bench, "We have to keep an even closer eye on her now; make sure she isn't exposed to any extreme stimuli."

"My queen." Michiru stepped up, "She's only a little girl and the Golden Millennium was centuries ago. There's no reason to assume that Hotaru carries the same curse as her predecessor."

"There's no reason not to assume it, either." The Moon Queen answered grimly, "Saturn is uninhabitable now. Your own planets were affected so drastically that few of your people still remain there. Pluto is little more than a ball of ice and the Earth itself was nearly incinerated before she was stopped."

"I understand, my queen." The elegant Neptunati replied.

"We are in a precarious position." Queen Serenity explained, "Our Silver Alliance is about to become complete! We are very near to the total unification of this solar system, but I can't help but feel this dread building up at the back of my mind. Queen Beryl and her Dark Kingdom remind me so much of Nehellenia…"

"She's gone, my Queen." Haruka assured the monarch knowing how emotional she could get when recalling that ancient struggle, "And Beryl is at best a day away from the guillotine. There's no need to despair."

"No, I suppose not." Serenity relented with a shaky grin, "Thank you. Both of you. I've no idea what I'd do without you."

"I somehow think you'd get by, my queen." Haruka said with a deep, respectful smile, "We'll take our leave."

"Good evening, my queen." Michiru said with a bow and the two Princesses walked away.

Serenity watched as they disappeared through the tangle of arches and columns that made up her crystalline palace. Soft footfalls from behind called her attention and she whirled around to find her seemingly ageless purple-haired advisor leaning in through a doorway so as not to interrupt her.

"Luna, there you are!" the Queen greeted her old friend and gathered up her dress as she ran to her side.

"You wanted to see me, my queen?" Luna asked with a curtsey.

"Yes." Serenity told her and her face read the utmost concern as she glanced upward toward the large sphere of the Earth hanging in the black sky above them, "Very soon I think I may need you to be my eyes…"


	28. Chapter 23, The Rights of Men

**TWENTY-THREE**

**The Rights of Men**

"Does it seem darker out today?" Jadeite asked as we stood on the balcony outside our Master Endymion's chambers. It was now three days after the capture of Queen Beryl and despite countless hours of interrogation we were no closer to divining her true intentions.

"Darker?" I asked and glanced up at the cloudless sky. Strangely enough it did seem that the sun was not quite as bright as I was used to, but I thought little of it. "I couldn't say for certain."

"Maybe my imagination is getting the better of me." Jadeite thought aloud and stretched his arms behind his back.

"I'd wager we're both sufficiently distracted enough for our imaginations to have their way with us." I agreed with my younger companion's assessment.

"It feels like we just did this, even though it's been months." Jadeite observed.

"I remember how eager you were at the prospect of meeting any of the senshi." I reminisced fondly, "Something about it being hard to choose between them if they were all as beautiful as the rumors claimed?"

"Yes, and Kunzite firmly trounced all over my fun as usual." Jadeite smirked and his interest was suddenly directed at the floor, "And Nephrite…"

My own gaze faltered. There was no denying the emptiness and awkwardness of our situation. The Shitennou were incomplete. One of the Four Heavenly Kings was missing and nothing could ease that hollow, restless feeling we all felt in our hearts. We four had been together for as long as any of us could remember and, if certain stories of the Golden Millennium were to be believed, even longer than that. Nephrite had been somewhat distant these last few months, but he was still part of our lives. Now that he was gone nothing felt settled; like trying to balance on a four-legged chair with one leg missing.

"Has there been any word?" Jadeite asked distantly.

"None so far." I answered with a shrug, "Kunzite sent his best scouts into the wild, but if Nephrite wants to remain hidden then that is how he will remain."

"We should be out there ourselves." Jadeite grumbled and flicked a speck of dust off the railing.

"If what Kunzite told us was true…" I said fighting down a lump in my throat, "I doubt Nephrite would even want to speak to us."

"What made him turn against the palace the way he did?" Jadeite demanded to the morning sky, "We knew Nephrite could be bull-headed, but to take up arms against Kunzite and the palace guard?"

"I'll wager the witch in our dungeon holds the answer to that question." I replied with a grimace towards the floor and the dungeons below us.

"She was silent on the subject when I questioned her." Jadeite indicated.

"What sort of creature is she?" I asked curious as to the nature of our unnatural guest.

"You've met her before, so you said." Jadeite reminded me, "She is mysterious and cunning. Nothing she says can be taken for its meaning on the surface." Jadeite paused and looked uncharacteristically disturbed, "She frightens me, Zoisite."

"She is powerful." I agreed.

"No." He replied quickly. His eyes were closed, "She frightens me because I can understand how easily our people would throw in their lot with her. She has a curious aura unlike anything we've ever encountered."

"It's nothing but mind games and trickery, Jadeite." I assured my companion whose own skill with subtlety and illusion was staggering, "You should know most of all to avoid her hollow sentiments. She is nothing more than a manipulator."

"She mentioned something to me, something powerful which immediately seized my attention." Jadeite recalled, "Metalia."

"It sounds like she was simply baiting you." I assumed.

"I'm not enough of a fool to be tempted by the Queen of the Dark Kingdom." Jadeite answered sounding quite put off with my remark.

I was not trying to be ironic or derisive towards my companion, but his statement stopped my thoughts in their tracks.

"I would have said the same about Nephrite." I said nearly under my breath.

"You think he was tempted away from us by the promise of the Dark Kingdom's power?" Jadeite openly laughed at my comment, "Nephrite, who never wanted more than the next-highest-proof liquor in the cabinet?"

"I don't believe wealth and power are the only temptations one can employ." I answered.

Jadeite was serious again. He turned to look me in the eye and asked, "What do you mean?"

"I cannot help but think that Queen Beryl played off Nephrite's loyalty and zeal to the very end." I voiced my concerns, "During our voyage to Acheron he often spoke of his increasingly violent actions as being a test of honor and loyalty to Endymion. She twisted him into believing that violence and murder served the greater good in the eyes of our Master."

"Then why would he openly attack the palace?" Jadeite wondered. Such rampant speculation was rare for the Shitennou and it most certainly would not have occurred had Kunzite been present.

"I would wager that in some way Nephrite believed what he was doing was in Master Endymion's best interest." I concluded, "Perhaps if we had been with him…"

It was not the first time I considered that my dangerous and reckless plan to capture Queen Beryl was indirectly responsible for the loss of Nephrite. We may have lived in separate chambers and kept different schedules, but the Shitennou were never far from one another. We operated at our best when we were together; it was a fact proven through many bloody battles and seemingly endless debates. Jadeite had obviously considered the possibility as well.

"We shouldn't have left that night." He said and his voice cracked as he spoke, "We may have captured her, but the price we paid was too great."

"We can't second-guess now." I advised my younger companion, "What's done is done."

"This is exactly what she wanted." Jadeite said ignoring my comment. Regardless, I listened. I had come to realize over the years that Jadeite's intuitive understanding of complicated issues bordered on genius. "She has been plying us apart."

"We have no way of knowing what her true intentions are." I reminded him.

"She's chipping away at us one by one." Jadeite continued on in spite of me, "Don't you see that, Zoisite? She's been driving a wedge into the Shitennou since the beginning of it all."

"Then we need to hold fast more than ever before." I recommended, "You, me and Kunzite have to be nigh inseparable. No more secret meetings or second-guessing."

"That's easy to say, Zoisite." Jadeite replied glumly.

"What's this, then?" I asked him, "It's not like you to be so morose. This war is far from lost, Jadeite. The Dark Kingdom hasn't made a move in weeks; their queen sits in our dungeon and the Moon Queen is returning the Senshi to finalize our entry into the Silver Alliance."

"Do you honestly believe in this Alliance, Zoisite?" Jadeite cut to the chase, "Would you throw your lot in with them if Master Endymion was gone and it was your call to make?"

"Has that witch affected you this much in only one day?" I asked sensing the fracturing of Jadeite's resolve.

"I'm simply saying that entering into this Alliance will not close out this story." Jadeite explained, "What are we going to do with her in the end?"

I had to sigh at this question and replied, "I don't know."

"No one seems to know." Jadeite was quick to point out, "Not even Master Endymion."

"Consider the position he's in." I suggested, "I've heard the people in the streets calling for an execution. It's nearly unanimous among the public that they want Beryl's blood." I paused and gestured upward, "Then again you have the Silver Alliance which forbids capital punishment even on the gravest of offenders."

"I don't think the Alliance knows what a grave offender is." Jadeite grumbled, "The worst the Senshi have to police are fat politicians scheming their way into Venusian brothels."

"You need to stop thinking like this." I very nearly ordered, "You're playing right into her trap. She has you questioning our Master's faith in the Alliance. She's subtly manipulating you, just like she did with Nephrite. You need to block her out."

"What I need is to sit down and talk to Rei." Jadeite said distantly.

"Jadeite, no offence, but you were on Mars for less than a day and came back a pacifist." I said sounding much more abrasive than I intended to be, "Perhaps it would best if you avoided casual contact with the Princess until after the affairs of the Alliance are put into order."

Jadeite didn't answer. I inferred from his silence that he was not pleased with my suggestion, but I knew my younger companion took to counsel far better than Nephrite ever did. I only hoped my warning would be heeded. Ami's face crept into my sight again and I found myself thinking that perhaps I should take my own advice as well…

* * *

Kunzite was inside Endymion's chambers helping him as he always did before formal affairs dress in his ornate, ceremonial armor. The eldest of the Shitennou worked swiftly and silently as he buckled on the grand silver pauldrons and engraved ebony breastplate. Endymion laced up his rich leather bracers and ran his teeth along the bottom of his upper lip.

"Kunzite." He said nearly whispering.

"My lord?"

"Are you happy with my decision?" Endymion asked. If Kunzite could be startled he would have been.

"The Silver Alliance will provide us with protection and access to many advances in science and technology." Kunzite replied flatly, "Our people will live longer, healthier lives. I'm sure the exchange of culture will cause the arts to flourish. It will be a fine arrangement."

"I'm not talking about the Alliance." Endymion told his eldest advisor, "I meant my decision to marry Serenity."

"Of course I support your decision, Master." Kunzite said rigidly. The strap he buckled on Endymion's breastplate was pulled slightly tighter than usual.

"I know you support me." Endymion said in an aggravated tone, "You'd support me if I told you I wanted to pour candle wax all over myself and run naked throughout the palace."

Kunzite didn't even chuckle which was expected so Endymion asked again, "Are you happy about my decision to marry Serenity?"

"No." He replied curtly.

"No?"

"You've asked for my opinion, Master." Kunzite spoke properly, "As your chief advisor I have given it."

"Would you stop talking to me like you're some clockwork automaton?" Endymion demanded and whirled around to be face-to-face with the Shitennou, "Honestly, Kunzite, you've known me since I was wetting my bed. Tell me what you _feel _for once."

"I feel …" Kunzite said slowly. He was now a different man; a vulnerable man. Only Endymion, his Master, could bring this out of him. His eyes were wide as though he was in disbelief of his own emotions, "I feel betrayed."

"Betrayed?" Endymion gasped with equal disbelief, "Kunzite… I could _**never**_ betray you."

"I feel betrayed because I have been in your position, Master." Kunzite explained further, "I know how your feelings for Princess Serenity distract you from everything else. I know how just the sight of her breaks through all concentration and how she permeates every thought you have."

"You're not talking about me." Endymion surmised, "You're talking about you and Princess Minako."

"Had it not been for her I may have been able to save Nephrite." Kunzite said sorrowfully, "I wouldn't have been blind to the warning signs." He remembered the sailors and dock workers killed by Nephrite's sneak attack the night he sailed north, "I could have saved so many lives …"

"Do you love her, Kunzite?" Endymion demanded.

"I don't know." He replied sullenly, "Everything happened so quickly between us …"

"Love is not governed by speed." Endymion said with a smile, "Although I do know that Minako likes to move quickly."

"My own personal issues have no weight here." Kunzite shifted topics quickly, "Master, I don't believe you should wed the Moon Princess in the midst of all this chaos. Your show of love is honorable, but it comes at a most inconvenient time."

"Love is also not governed by convenience." Endymion added.

"Master…" Kunzite openly moaned.

"Perhaps I fell in love with Serenity in a short time." Endymion acquiesced, "Perhaps our love is inconvenient, but it is love all the same." The King laid a hand on Kunzite's shoulder, "Just as I wager whatever confusing emotion you feel for Princess Minako is love." Kunzite's eyes moved slightly to one side; it was as close to blushing as he could get, "And I don't feel betrayed by you because your heart was filled with something other than your stoic duty for once."

"But the fact remains that if I hadn't-" Kunzite started and was promptly silenced.

"The fact remains that there was no way you could have saved Nephrite even if you watched him from sunrise to sundown every day." Endymion said, "There's nothing you could have done."

"But -"

"Kunzite, I have taken your wise counsel many, many times." Endymion said to his advisor interrupting him once again, "This one time I ask you to take mine: Don't ever place blame on love."

Kunzite would not allow Endymion's words to penetrate his calloused exterior for several hours, but he automatically responded, "Yes, Master" anyway.

"Good." Endymion grinned and checked his pristine polished armor in the full-length mirror, "Now we had better get down to the Astral Gate before our guests arrive and find us tardy to our own Alliance." Endymion winked slyly at his chief advisor and friend, "I'm sure you're anxious to greet the Venusian Princess again."

"There are times I wish you weren't my master, Master." Kunzite said with a shake of his head, "I would very much like to hit you."

Endymion lightly jabbed Kunzite in the shoulder. According to their code of conduct Kunzite was allowed to return the blow. When the door of the King's chambers opened Kunzite stepped through first followed by Endymion who was grimacing and rubbing an extremely sore bruise on his left arm.

* * *

We had gathered in the Astral gate together just as we had months before only this time one of us was missing. A member of Endymion's honor guard filled the vacant position next to our Master that Nephrite would have occupied. The now-familiar static charge began to build in the room and my eyes adjusted the very instant Ami's cloudy figure began to materialize within the arches. She caught my glance as soon as her eyes became visible from the nether and we wordlessly communicated our excitement at seeing each other again. I looked beyond her face to see she was accompanied by Rei, Minako, and Makoto, but not Serenity.

"My ladies." Endymion greeted the delegation with a bow, "Welcome back to Elysion."

"Thank you, King Endymion." Minako replied. There was no mischief or playfulness in her voice this time, "I bring tidings and wishes of good health and prosperity from Queen Serenity."

"I had hoped the Queen might attend this summit in person." Endymion spoke expectantly.

"Unfortunately events have transpired on the Moon that will require the Queen to remain there." Minako informed us. I could see Ami seemed a bit on edge at that statement.

"What sort of events?" I asked out of turn.

"We'll be able to discuss details later." Minako said hastily and readdressed the King, "Queen Serenity wishes to know what your plans are for dealing with your captive."

"Queen Beryl?" Endymion arched an eyebrow, "It hasn't been decided."

"I see." Minako said disappointedly.

"Forgive me, Princess, but is Queen Beryl's fate now to have some bearing on the Earth's pending membership in the Silver Alliance?" Endymion asked carefully.

"No, of course not." Minako replied, "She is an affair left entirely up to your jurisdiction."

"Just idle curiosity, then?" Jadeite asked. He too seemed put off by the inquiry.

"Jadeite!" Kunzite snapped at him.

"My Queen is simply anxious to see the matter resolved." Minako replied, "As I'm sure you are, my King."

"Indeed." Endymion said crossly, "Come now, I believe your quarters should be almost exactly as you left them. My guards will escort you and see to your needs and we will convene in one hour to discuss the details of our treaty."

"Thank you, King Endymion." Minako said politely, "I look forward to it."

I could see Jadeite practically on his toes ready to rush to Princess Rei's side. I felt my own heart yearning to call out to Ami, but before any of us could move our names were called.

"Zoisite, Jadeite!" Kunzite beckoned, "Please come to the King's chambers."

Rei was watching Jadeite as she walked out of the room. The young Shitennou looked completely crestfallen. I knew exactly how he felt, but I followed Kunzite and our King back into the long corridor leading up to the center of the palace. Upon entering our Master's chambers Kunzite bolted the door and motioned for us all to stand near the center of the room.

"Should I be as concerned as I am?" Jadeite asked and nervously wound his fingers together.

"I should very much like to know what sort of unfortunate events are transpiring on the moon." I added, "And why Queen Serenity is so interested in Queen Beryl's current situation."

"That's why we're here." Endymion sighed and pulled off the heavy breastplate of his armor, "The Silver Alliance obviously knows something they're not telling us."

"And yet we're about to enter into a treaty with them." Jadeite scoffed.

"If this were any other country, kingdom, principality or sovereign state I would put a stop to these proceedings immediately." Endymion fumed, "But I cannot simply brush aside this Alliance because of suspicion and secrecy."

"Perhaps when we sit down to discuss the terms of the treaty they will offer details like Minako said." I suggested.

"By then it may be too late." Endymion replied solemnly, "Queen Serenity is obviously concerned about Beryl, but she would never openly admit it. I know her well enough to infer that her 'passing interest' in our captive is much more serious than simple curiosity."

"Are you saying Queen Serenity is _afraid_ of Queen Beryl?" Jadeite whispered possibly concerned that the ever-vigilant monarch might hear him.

Endymion nodded in reply and spoke: "She could never suggest this, condone this, or even allow the thought to cross her mind, but I know it is the outcome she is hoping for." He took a painful pause, "I know that as long as we remain outside the Silver Alliance we can still pass judgment on Queen Beryl."

"Judgment?" I echoed, "You mean an execution!"

"This is not a decision I make lightly and it's one that I wish I didn't have to make at all." Endymion said darkly, "But our people have called out for her blood and, in so many words, Queen Serenity has concurred."

There was a long silence in the room. Kunzite, as usual, appeared resigned to the fact that there would be an execution. Endymion could have said anything and Kunzite would have resigned himself to it. I was still trying to process the information. Jadeite was the only one of us who showed any outward sign of emotion. His fists were clenched and his teeth were clattering with rage. He was suppressing it as best he could but he couldn't be contained forever.

"Vulgar." He said at last and spat the word as though it were on fire.

"What was that, Jadeite?" Endymion asked.

"Blasphemous." He spoke again in seething anger, "An execution on the eve of our entry into an Alliance that forbids capital punishment?" He had to pause for a moment to collect his words, "An execution practically _sanctioned_ by that same Alliance?"

"I'm not happy about this either." Endymion assured all of us, not just Jadeite, "But what other choice do we have?"

"Choice?" Jadeite gasped, "You can lock her away in the deepest, darkest dungeon on Earth. You could exile her to a remote island or better yet a cold, desolate asteroid! Master, please have some decency!"

"Decency?" Endymion asked, "Jadeite what's gotten into you? You know I wouldn't consider an execution unless it was the last possible resort. I respect your position and your honorable, newfound commitment to non-violence, but this is my decision. I'm not asking you to be her executioner."

"But I am _your_ subject!" Jadeite replied, "Your decision will reflect on all of us and the Earth as a whole! Please, Master! I beg you to reconsider!"

"That's enough, Jadeite." The King ordered with a twinge of regret, "I've been considering and reconsidering this decision since the moment you and Zoisite brought her through the city gates. My decision stands."

I could tell Jadeite was heartbroken. He did not speak out again, but his posture slackened and he no longer kept eye contact with the King. To be honest I did not expect an execution order either, but seeing what a dangerous creature Queen Beryl was and how she could have such a profound impact on the Moon Queen a whole world away I understood my Master's difficult choice.

"Jadeite is right about one thing." Endymion added, "This is my decision and it will reflect on all of us and the whole Earth. The execution will not be public and it will not be disclosed." Endymion's eyes closed tightly and he said, "And I will be her executioner."

"Master?" Kunzite gasped.

"I will not allow anyone else to bear the burden of this decision." Endymion said staunchly, "It will be mine alone to suffer." He turned and took us all in his gaze, "I would normally welcome your advice, but in this I stand firm. Am I clear?"

"Yes." We all breathed uneasily.

"Good." Endymion finished, "Obviously you will not discuss this meeting with the Princess or with anyone for that matter." We all agreed, "Then I suggest we see to our guests. I want to have a treaty hanging in the main gallery by this time tomorrow and finally put all this chaos behind us."

The word "chaos" echoed curiously in the room despite the fact that my Master didn't put any emphasis on it. As we filed out of his chambers I was struck with a foreboding sense that it was the last time we would take counsel together. I shook the dreadful notion away and refocused on a more pleasant topic: Ami.

* * *

Jadeite wasted no time. After the meeting with Endymion he didn't even have the decency to knock when he barged into the room that served as the Princess' suite. Rei was dressed except for her shoes which were, as usual, tall-heeled and painful to walk in. She appeared slightly annoyed at his abrupt appearance, but was silent.

"We need to talk." Jadeite demanded and threw himself into a nearby chair and gestured for Rei to sit opposite him.

"I think I'll stand." She rebuffed him.

"Damn it, Rei!" He growled and stood up, kicking the chair away in the same motion.

"Get out." She snapped at him.

"Excuse me?" he snapped right back.

"You barge in her unannounced, cuss at me and throw my furniture?" She repeated his offenses, "I don't care if I'm a guest in your kingdom or not, I want you out of my room."

"Rei, this has nothing to do with-" he was cut off mid-sentence.

"Jadeite!" She hollered and held up her hand to stop him, "I can't do this with you."

"Do what?" he thundered.

"Anything!" she crashed right back at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked as his blood pressure began to level off.

"Just what I told you before I left." She reminded him, "When I went back home to Mars I began the ascension rituals. I inherited the throne and my father's responsibilities. I'm a Queen now, Jadeite."

"Well pardon me, your majesty." Jadeite grumbled and offered a half-hearted bow, "Might this humble Earthling request an audience?"

"Stop it, Jadeite, I'm serious." Rei chastised him and began pacing, that annoying habit of his that she had picked up, "Trust me, I love having no time for myself anymore. I love having to give up all the things I used to enjoy because my life is now just an endless stream of paperwork, debates, and public addresses."

"You know what I love most, though?" she continued, "I love having to push away the people I'm closest to. I love having to tell old friends that I'll probably only get to see them once every few years." She stepped closer to him and forced him to look at her, "I love having to come back here just to tell you that I can't be with you." She smiled at him, "Even though, against my better judgment, I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be."

Now Jadeite felt as though he'd been kicked in the throat. His anger over Endymion's plans for Queen Beryl had ebbed and now he was only left with regret for how he so recently acted and the empty, cavernous feeling in his chest where his heart should have been. He sat back down forgetting that he'd kicked the chair away and slumped on the floor. Rei gathered her dress and slunk down next to him. She didn't allow herself to make physical contact with the man, but she sat with him all the same.

"My life is falling apart." He admitted somewhat ruefully.

"Jadeite, don't say that." She found herself wanting to wind her arm around his shoulder san pull him into an embrace, but stopped herself.

"My best friend disappeared last week." Jadeite told her, "Today I openly challenged my Master, something I'd never done before. And now I'm losing you too."

"Oh, please don't say it like that, Jadeite." Rei nearly cried. She couldn't help herself anymore and she laid her head on his shoulder and wound her hands around his arm.

"I want you to know you've been on my mind every day." Jadeite told her in spite of his quivering lip, "I… I've been trying to emulate what you taught me about your noble culture. I haven't fought." He smiled as best he could, "I've been trying to be a better man."

"I'm glad to hear that." She told him honestly.

"That's why I'm so broken up about something that happened recently." Jadeite explained, "It's why I came barging in here. It's got me worked up quite a bit."

"Tell me."

"First there's something I need you to tell me." Jadeite said and turned toward her, "Something about your father."

"My father?" she asked puzzled, "What about him."

Jadeite thought back to what Queen Beryl had said and tried to think of the best possible way to word the question, but he just took the simplest route: "How old was he when he passed away?"

"How old?" Rei asked again, "Why do you want to know that?"

"Please, just tell me." Jadeite begged her.

"Very well." She stiffened up and pulled herself away from him, "He was eighty-nine when he passed."

"Eighty-nine." He repeated and thought of Beryl's declaration of him dying young, "An old man."

Rei was going to leave well enough alone, but something told her to press the issue and she confided, "You're wrong about that."

"Hmm?" Jadeite wondered already past the thought.

"My father …" Rei said slowly and deliberately. Her face looked slightly flushed, "I'm sorry, on Mars it's generally considered to be embarrassing to discuss things like age."

"You don't have to be embarrassed about anything with me, Rei." Jadeite supported her. It was the sort of support shown after a suitor has been turned down only to hold onto the fleeting hope of his lady's favor.

"My father wasn't an old man." Rei explained, "In fact he died rather young."

"Young?" Jadeite's throat tightened and he distinctly heard Beryl's sinister cackling laugh erupt from his memory, "But he was…"

"He was eighty-nine by the way you reckon time." Rei explained, "But on Mars he could still be considered middle-aged."

"What?" Jadeite asked breathlessly.

"A year on Mars is almost twice as long as a year on Earth." Rei explained to him, "But it is more than simply just days added onto a calendar. Our seasons last longer. Over the centuries our circadian rhythms have adapted to the longer time span; our metabolisms slowed in proportion to the harvests and draughts. We age at almost half the speed you do here on Earth and we live over twice as long."

"So by your standards your father was still a young man?" Jadeite asked. Queen Beryl's laughter answered him in his mind.

"Yes." She answered, "The sickness that killed him caused him to rapidly age which is why when you met him he appeared to be a frail, old man. The healers simply couldn't work fast enough to counteract it."

"He aged to the point as if he had lived on Earth his whole life." Jadeite surmised and Rei nodded her agreement.

"Why does my father's age matter?" Rei wanted to know.

"I don't know how to tell you this, Rei." Jadeite said slowly. He was still putting the puzzle together in his own head, "But I think Queen Beryl may have been involved in your father's death."

"What?" the Martian gasped, "How do you know?"

"Because she told me that your father had died young." Jadeite explained, "At first I thought she was simply raving, but now it makes sense. I think she might have cursed him, or had him poisoned or …" he trailed off.

"Why?" Rei demanded. Her anger began to flare and Jadeite could feel the elemental heat radiating from her body, "Why would she have done such a thing?"

"Rei, this isn't proven, it's just speculation." Jadeite told her and then began to focus in on his own confusion, "But if it's true … wouldn't you, what I mean is …" He looked up into her fiery violet eyes, "Wouldn't you want to see justice done?"

"Justice?" she growled in fury.

"Wouldn't you want to see Queen Beryl brought to justice for her crimes?" Jadeite asked hopefully, "Wouldn't you want to see her _punished_ for what she did?"

"What do you mean, Jadeite?" she cried at him, "Just say it plainly!"

"Doesn't the woman who murdered your father also deserve death?"

Jadeite's tone was dark. He hesitated between words, but it was out in the open now. Conflict raged within him. On one side stood Rei's staunch pacifism and the pain of a culture that nearly tore itself apart through bloodshed. On the other stood justice, balance, and Jadeite's own lingering desire to see the manipulative harpy hang from a gibbet. Rei must have sensed his apprehension because her own temper softened and she addressed him clearly.

"Jadeite, if this woman did murder my father then yes, I do wish to see justice done upon her." Rei said sternly, "And for all the evil she has perpetrated perhaps she does deserve death, but …" She paused to make sure Jadeite was listening, "But that is a punishment no man is fit to deliver."

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't conflicted by this." Jadeite told the Princess shakily, "I learned so much from you and your culture in so short a time, Rei. I saw that I could be more than just a blade for my King, but how can I reconcile pacifism when a creature like Beryl is allowed to exist?"

"If you want to sink to her level then go ahead and put her head on the chopping block." Rei said bluntly, "It's not about balancing good and evil, Jadeite, it's about standing firm in your beliefs. Sometimes you weather the storm; sometimes you're swept away by it."

"I don't know if I can weather this storm." Jadeite confessed and grasped for Rei's hand which she willingly offered.

"No one has the right to take another's life, Jadeite." She told him soothingly, "People may end up doing it anyway, but no one has the _right_. That's all you need to remember."

"If only it were that simple." Jadeite sighed to himself.

"Then I'll make sure you don't forget." Rei told him.

She leaned in and kissed him full on the lips, abandoning her previous assessment that she couldn't even speak to Jadeite anymore. The distracted Shitennou took a moment to realize what was happening, but he caught on soon enough. Their mutual fire burnt through their clothes and their skin in a passionate conflagration. Sixty sweat-soaked minutes later they lay panting on the floor, late for the opening treaty discussions, and there was no doubt that Jadeite would never forget what Rei had told him.

_No one had the right …_


	29. Chapter 24, Good Intentions

**TWENTY-FOUR**

**Good Intentions**

"It's getting darker much earlier today." King Endymion spoke to Kunzite as the two men stood by one of the tall windows of the throne room.

"These last few days it seems the sun has been dimmer." Kunzite said in his slow, careful way, "As though a shade were being pulled over it."

"Kunzite, I don't want to mince words with you." The King said and the eldest Shitennou stood at attention, "Is the execution of Queen Beryl the worst decision I've ever made?"

"That isn't an easy answer." Kunzite dodged.

"Your opinion then?"

"My opinion is that any action is a good action." Kunzite revealed, "She has struck at us from the shadows, she manipulated our own man in Nephrite. She is dangerously powerful; perhaps too powerful to ever control or contain. Death may be the _only_ decision."

"When my kingdom is threatened, yes." Endymion answered, "But she sits in our prisons now, apparently powerless. How can I justify taking her to the gallows when she has not even lifted a finger in defiance of her imprisonment?"

"Stand firm in your decision, Master. Was that not one of our lessons when you were still a young Prince all those years ago?" Kunzite spoke in the voice of the patient mentor, "A second guess…"

"A second guess does not guarantee a second chance." Endymion recalled fondly, "I believe you forced me to fill several parchments, front and back, writing it over and over so that I would never forget it."

"Indeed."

"Still, I am troubled by what Jadeite said." Endymion admitted, "Jadeite is the finest soldier I've ever known, but even he seems to have given up the sword. Bloodshed never solves anything and I fear the execution of Beryl will only deepen a wound we should be trying to close."

"If you are concerned that Jadeite will hold it against you then you needn't worry." Kunzite assured his King, "His newfound pacifism has not blinded him so much as to renounce his loyalty to you."

"I don't want to kill anyone, Kunzite." Endymion confessed and dropped his head, "Not even the witch that sits in my dungeon."

The click-clack of hobnails on the stone floor interrupted whatever insight Kunzite was about to give and the two men turned to see one of their royal guests approaching. Dressed rather plainly in boots, pants, and a dark green traveling cloak came Makoto, the Princess of Jupiter. She approached Endymion and bowed respectfully.

"My Lords." She said properly.

"Greetings, Princess." Endymion greeted her cordially, "We're not due to begin discussing our affairs for some time yet. Is there something I can do for you?"

"I have inquired of guards and servants across the palace as to the whereabouts of one of your Shitennou, but I haven't been given a straight answer." She said matter-of-factly, "I was hoping to speak with Lord Nephrite."

Kunzite frowned. Endymion nearly did the same, but spoke instead: "What message do you bring for Nephrite?"

"It is of a somewhat private nature; a conversation we were unable to finish before we were called back to the Moon." She responded impatiently, "Is he here?"

"I'm afraid …" Endymion said reluctantly. It was still painful for him to even contemplate. "I'm afraid Nephrite has… left us."

"What does that mean?"

Kunzite explained: "Several nights ago Nephrite and a small contingent of soldiers attempted to seize the palace by force. We believe he was under the influence of some spell; very likely the work of Queen Beryl herself."

"What happened to him?" Makoto asked breathlessly, fearing the worst.

"I was forced to send him away." Kunzite told her, "No one has seen nor heard from him since."

Makoto was relieved to hear that he was still among the living, but incised by Kunzite's decision and she let him know it.

"You mean he's out there somewhere?" She asked angrily pointing to the world beyond the castle walls, "Alone?"

"Princess…" Kunzite sighed.

"You abandoned him!" she accused both Kunzite and the King, "You say he may have been under a spell and you just turned him away?"

"Enough!" Kunzite thundered, "This is not your affair, Princess."

"Am I the only one who saw how tormented he was?" She matched Kunzite's thunder with her own and Kunzite was shocked by her defiance, "I thought you Shitennou were inseparable? It took an outsider from three worlds away to show that man any sort of support."

Kunzite had no reply for this and could do little but look ahead with a grim scowl. Endymion looked just as desolate and offered only a solemn nod that he agreed with what Makoto had said. The Princess' anger abated into cold indifference when she spoke again.

"Where would he have gone?"

"Our scouts haven't been able to find him." Endymion told her, "We have no way to track Nephrite if he wants to remain hidden."

"But you were his friends! His _family!_" The Jovian stressed, "You knew him better than anyone! Where would he have gone to seek solace?"

"The sea." Kunzite replied stoically, "Somewhere by the sea."

"Somewhere with clear night skies where he could see the stars." Endymion added and even managed a slight jest, "And somewhere with a reputation for fine ale."

"I would like to ask your blessing for this, King Endymion." Makoto spoke only as politely as etiquette demanded, "But I am prepared to do without it. I want to look for him."

"But we have the business of the treaty to attend to." Endymion reminded her.

Makoto shook her head and her chestnut ponytail bounced innocently; a stark contrast to her confident, almost cocky speech, "The treaty does not need my seal of approval. Minako has been appointed as the Silver Alliance's representative; I am merely an accessory here."

"And what will you do if you find Nephrite?" Kunzite asked her, "Or for that matter what will he do to you? You do remember you were once a captive of his?"

"I only want to help him." Makoto said sternly, "Since no one else has made the effort."

"Then go look for him if you must." Endymion said irate at being continually berated in his own throne room. "Take a horse from my stables and any provisions you may need."

"Thank you, my King." She replied hurriedly and bowed to him, then to Kunzite, "My Lord."

She was gone quickly from the throne room and Kunzite exhaled an angry sigh once she was out of earshot.

"It seems like every one of these Princesses are not aware that sharpening stones are meant for blades, not tongues." Kunzite grumbled.

"I'd be more inclined to share your ire if they weren't right so often." Endymion admitted, "Tactful or not, she was correct. Nephrite needed us and we were too distracted with treaties, politics, alliances and our own personal issues to see it."

"Perhaps she will find him and bring him back." Kunzite offered hopefully, a rarity, "This situation may yet play out to our favor."

Endymion didn't reply. He only turned and looked back out the tall window up at the sun which seemed to be darker still though it was barely midday. The time for treaty-drawing would soon be upon him. A new alliance; a new opportunity for his world; a new life to begin with Princes Serenity. If only, by some miracle, Makoto could bring Nephrite back into the fold and restore their brotherhood…

If only.

* * *

One knock on Ami's door was all it took. She must have been standing behind it waiting with her hand on the knob. I could only admit to being humbled at the thought, but of course I didn't share the notion with her. She doubtless thought I was odd enough already without mentioning that I sometimes daydream about her. Unfortunately despite her eagerness at answering the door she was decidedly more reserved than the last time we met and cautiously kept her distance from me when I attempted to greet her with a hug.

"What's wrong?" I asked when she backed away.

"N-nothing." She stuttered and made a face that appeared as though she were cursing herself.

"Okay." I said slowly.

"Can I get you anything?" She asked courteously, "Water, tea?"

"Shouldn't I be the one offering?" I asked her, "You are a guest in my kingdom, after all."

"Oh." She answered rather obviously trying to hide embarrassment and confusion, "Of course."

"Ami, there's something wrong, isn't there?" I asked knowing the answer wouldn't come easily.

"I'm just a bit overtired from the travel through the Astral Gates." She lied thinly, "I may just lie down and take a rest before the treaty accords begin."

"So you're just going to offer me tea and go to sleep?" I chided her.

"No, I mean…" she fumbled with her words, "I didn't-"

"It's all right." I tried to comfort her from across the uncomfortable gap between us, "Why don't you just tell me what you want to say?"

The pause wasn't overly long, but only served to accent her reply: "I don't know what I want to say."

"I'll say something, then." I announced, "Ami, I haven't been able to put you out of my mind." She gave me a somewhat odd look and I clarified, "Not that I would want to, of course, but no matter where I am or what I do I end up thinking about you."

"Zoisite…" she sighed seeming almost disappointed.

"I've never felt this way about anyone before."I said sounding like I was confessing some deep sin, "It's not the same feeling of devotion that I have towards my Master or the other Shitennou, this is something different." It was not easy for me to explain, both in words and in act, I choked on several syllables, "I think I've fallen in love with you, Ami."

"No." she sniffled slightly, "Please don't say that."

"What?" I gasped my demand, "Ami, tell me what's wrong!"

"When I returned to Mercury I thought of all the wonderful things you said, about how you admired my culture and how much you would like to see my home planet." She finally opened up, "But when I looked around I didn't see any of the wonder in that place that you seem to imagine."

"Well, it's your home after all." I reminded her, "You're accustomed to it."

"I see wonder in everything, Zoisite." She corrected me, "It's what makes me such a black sheep back home."

"A black sheep?" I wondered, "I was under the impression your people prized intelligence, logic and etiquette. You're an exemplar of your people."

"I'm an exemplar of what my people abhor most." Ami viciously replied, "They pride themselves on being poised and proper, by studying the world and leading the planets in science and industry. They certainly treasure intelligence, Zoisite, but my intelligence is only a fence that they built up in my youth to contain something they didn't approve of."

"What?" I could hardly speculate.

"My _mind_." She replied, "A mind more interested in _why _than in _how_." Ami shook her head in disbelief of her own story, "The great scientists and philosophers of Mercury are little more than walking libraries and adding machines. Nobody there has the capacity to look beyond the rigid structure of mathematics and logic. They don't dream, or speculate, or wonder; they just take measurements and perform tests. There isn't an ounce of imagination on the planet."

"What about the piano lessons you took when you were young and your mother's dream of her daughters all playing in the family ensemble?" I asked.

"You play your music with emotion, Zoisite, and you compose vivid, imaginative pieces." Ami continued, "But I was taught to read notes from a page, to follow symbols and never to deviate from the constant click of the metronome. If I even thought about injecting one of my own ideas or adding a personal touch to a passage I'd have my hand slapped."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" I asked remembering how proudly she had once spoken of her ilk.

"Because I was afraid you would see me like the way I see them." She answered, "Mercury may skirt the edges of the sun, but it's a cold place. It's more lifeless than that buried city we discovered in the ice."

"So you hid your imagination and creativity beneath a veil of precise logic and ceremony?" I asked with a dismissive shrug, "Is that why you don't want to hear that I'm in love with you?"

"The life I'm living is a lie, Zoisite." Ami confessed to me, "I'm a Princess on a planet that I don't even feel a kinship towards anymore. I'm expected to lead my people one day!"

"Then perhaps it will be your wise rule that begins to open the minds of your fellow Mercurians." I suggested trying to transfer some of my own hopeful nature to her.

"Politics don't work like that on Mercury." She replied, "The foundations of our society are too deeply rooted and the ruling family is just another cog in the machine. That's why I have so many siblings; every royal generation does. If one of us is found to be ineffective in a leadership position we're simply swapped out for a more promising candidate."

"So why not just abdicate beforehand?" I asked.

"I can't." She nearly cried, "As a Senshi it is my duty to protect my home and the rest of the Alliance. I can do that most effectively from a position of power." She shrugged and offered a rueful grin, "I may not like what awaits me, but I know I can do it better than anyone else."

"I'm sure you can." I smiled back, "But you still haven't told me why I shouldn't love you."

"What do I have to offer you, Zoisite?" she asked, "What passed between us these last few months has been wonderful. It's an experience I would never have been able to enjoy had I not met you and to find someone who accepts my curiosity is practically a miracle. Not to mention our mutual, well … you know."

"Lack of practice?" I intoned humorously.

"Right."

"Ami, I don't need you to offer me anything other than yourself." I told her heartily, "The real you; not the Sailor Senshi or the Princess from Mercury who puts on a cold armor of logic because her people demand it. Just Ami, the girl who plays the piano, can beat me silly in a trivia contest, and effectively use chess as a euphemism for sex."

She laughed at that statement, a good, long laugh. I had to join her, it would have been impossible not to. I wanted to rush forward and catch her in my arms and not let go until Endymion sent guards to find us, but I kept my distance. If Ami was anything like me, and I know that she was, she needed time to process everything.

"I don't care if you think your planet is cold and lifeless." I assured her, "To me it's still an amazing place full of wonders I can't even imagine. I want to see it; with you."

"I don't want to take you away from here." She said pitifully. She wanted to acquiesce, but her Mercurial callous gets in the way, "Once this treaty is finalized everything will change. Your people will need you; Endymion will need you more than ever."

"There will be a lot of logistics involved." I replied, "That's really more Kunzite's department and the people have always looked to Jadeite first as the face and voice of the Shitennou."

"And what about the Shitennou?" she asked hesitantly, "They are like family to you, aren't they? Would you just leave them behind?"

"I am not bound to the Shitennou or my Master through any sorcery." I said wryly, "I have the will to change my path whenever I choose. Before I met you I never had occasion to consider it, but I assure you Ami, if that is the sacrifice I have to make I would gladly renounce my position."

"Zoisite!" she gasped in shock.

"I'm not going to take it back, either." I assured her with a devious grin.

"I …" she stalled. I could see in her eyes that the part of her that was used to being buried under layers of protocol was positively reveling in the possibilities, "I don't know what to say."

"Say that you believe me when I tell you I love you." I said softly and moved closer to her.

"I never said I didn't believe you." She blushed slightly as my hand came to rest on her cheek, "I suppose you want me to tell you something in return?"

"That would be nice."

"Like what?"

"That's up to you."

Ami bit her lower lip and tried to stop grinning, but couldn't, "You want to hear me say that I love you, don't you?"

"Do you?"

"I don't know, what did I say?"

At this point our noses were practically touching. I breathed into her ear, "I couldn't hear you."

"It's considered rude on Mercury to repeat yourself." She said with mock timidity.

"Well we wouldn't want that…"

Enough flirting was enough. I leaned in and kissed her, finally, after what seemed like years. There was nothing timid about the way she kissed me back. Her lips were occupied by the sound and vibration from her throat carried the distinct timbre of those three words.

"When this business with the treaty is finished." I muttered through busy lips, "I'm going to take you to a place on the south coast. Just the two of us."

"It's not going to be cold, is it?" she asked, "The last place you took me to was a little too much."

"No, it's on the equator. Never gets below sixty." I told her, "Water as blue as the sky and white sand beaches that stretch to the horizon." I winked at her, "I hope you brought your bathing suit."

"No." She said and drew out the word playfully, "My people share a special connection to the water, remember?"

"I remember." I recalled, "What does that mean?"

"It means we only bathe in the nude." She replied with that repressed devilishness that I found irresistible, "It would be rude to the water not to."

* * *

Makoto did not take a horse from Endymion's stables and neither did she take provisions. She asked only for the general location of the nearest coastal town with a reputation for fine ale. The guards outside Endymion's palace both gave the same answer: Meses. The town lay on the eastern coast north of the great Golden City of Elysion. Makoto followed the well-kept cobblestones until they cracked and powdered into muddy wagon trails in the far less opulent outer reaches of the Kingdom. She moved quickly, walked non-stop for a day, and when she was sure no eyes were upon her she called on the swiftness of lightning and the speed of leaves rustling on a swift breeze. In this way she could traverse far greater distances than any normal creature could in far less time.

As she neared the outskirts of the city the Jovian Princess spied an approaching caravan. What appeared on the horizon as a small group of ox-drawn carts soon fell into focus and revealed an entire population; men, women, children and elderly, stalking solemnly down the difficult trail lugging broken pieces of their lives in shabby wagons behind emaciated beasts. Clothed in soiled rags, they lumbered past her without a word, only grunting in their toil and discontent. She stood at least a head taller than the tallest man in the caravan, but no notice was given to her save for a few muffled comments that she was apparently heading the wrong way.

"What city lies beyond?" Makoto asked in general to the crowd as she gestured towards a rise behind which the road fell into shadow.

"No city." A woman told her miserably, "Not anymore."

"I don't understand."

"The city's practically ashes." A man, possibly the woman's husband continued. Neither of them slowed their slogging pace or raised their eyes to the Princess, "Go see if you want."

"What do you mean ashes?" She demanded, "What happened here?"

The caravan trudged along and no one answered. Makoto grew frustrated and her fist sought out her palm. Finally she caught the glint of chain armor beneath a battered hauberk of leather and identified one of the soldiers of Endymion's realm. She immediately singled him out of the crowd and cut him off as he tried to walk by.

"Soldier." She addressed him officially.

"Shove off, milady." He replied gruffly.

"I come on an errand on behalf of your King." Makoto stretched the truth slightly, "I demand that you halt and speak to me."

"If King Endymion wants to know what's happening on his own borders he can come see for himself." The soldier hissed, "And I will not halt, not for you, and not for Him."

"I just want to know what happened here." She pleaded in a softer tone, "Please, I'm looking for someone."

"If they're not with this caravan then they're dead." The soldier told her without a lick of remorse.

"I don't think he was living in the city." Makoto explained, "He may have just recently passed through."

"I have held this post for seven years, milady." The soldier explained solemnly, "I know everyone who lived in Meses. I knew the names of all the families and all their children. No one passed through that town without my notice; and no one is left."

"I'm looking for Nephrite." She said at last.

The soldier's impassive scowl degenerated further into outright malice. Those refugees in the caravan who were within earshot stopped in their tracks. The slow procession out of the city ground to a halt and every last angry eye fell upon the Princess of Jupiter.

"Nephrite was the one who burnt our town to the ground." The soldier said struggling to keep composure.

"Where is he?" Makoto asked.

"Do you know how many soldiers were garrisoned at Meses?" he asked growling. Makoto didn't answer so he informed her: "Thirty-two. Do you know how many he let live?" Silence again in reply and he enumerated: "Just one."

"Where is Nephrite?"

"He said he wanted me to go back to Elysion and specifically tell Lord Kunzite what I had seen. He said he wanted to see how thick the Ice King's frozen armor really was." The soldier continued, "He killed the captain of our guard with his bare hands… he…"

The soldier's upper lip trembled and a wash of fear overtook him. Behind him the caravan began to slowly rumble along again, the refugees having lost interest in what the tall stranger from Jupiter could have wanted with the Fallen King.

"Is he still in the city?" Makoto asked.

"I don't know."

The folds of her cloak billowed out around her as she turned and resumed her stride against the steady stream of despondent peasants filtering out of the apparently ruined city. She still could not see the settlement, but she was now aware of slight, wispy tendrils of smoke rising over the hills in the distance and the thunder rumbling around her was soon proven to be waves breaking on a nearby cliff face. She quickened pace and despite her speed, agility, and towering presence no one else in the band of refugees paid her any heed.

* * *

When the bell tower in the city square struck its final chime at three o'clock there were exactly three people missing from the meeting of the treaty accords. Princess Makoto was absent, having earlier requested my Master's blessing to go into the wild and find another missing member of this council, Nephrite. Their absences were expected, but the absence of Jadeite was not. Kunzite rapped his fingers impatiently on the long banquet table that now served as our gathering place. He sat across from Minako as was expected, but their previously rather public displays of affection had dissipated. I couldn't help but feel marginally better, but scolded myself for still harboring any resentment for what happened between us in the past.

I sat across from Ami and despite the tense, official nature of the meeting we couldn't resist stealing fanciful glances at each other. At the farthest end of the table sat Rei, the fiery new Queen of Mars whose eyes shifted nervously between the only entrance to the large meeting room and the empty chair across from her where the youngest of the Shitennou should have sat.

"I apologize for the delay." Endymion, who sat at the head of the table spoke up, "Jadeite is not known for tardiness. He is usually quite punctual."

"Perhaps we can begin without him." Minako suggested, "There is a considerable amount of information to discuss before we can begin to establish the foundation of the treaty."

"I don't mean for sentimentality to enter into this, Princess, but I would prefer to wait for Jadeite." Endymion nodded towards the vacant seat where Nephrite would have been reclining with a glass of the ceremonial wine, "I am already short one of my Shitennou and this is a day we have all long awaited together."

"I understand, my King." Minako told him and her obvious compassion was a bit of a shock to me.

"He was with you earlier, wasn't he milady?" Kunzite addressed Rei at the end of the table.

"Yes, but that was a few hours ago." She answered, "I don't know where he went off to after that."

"You don't need to sound so concerned, Rei." Endymion assured her after hearing the tense, worrisome tone of her voice, "I'm sure Jadeite has a good reason as to why he's running late."

"It's probably part of some joke that he's trying to pull on us." I added, "His way of lightening the mood."

Kunzite grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "I'll lighten _his _mood" and gruffly crossed his arms on the table in front of him. We waited. We waited for what felt like an hour. The shadows on the wall grew longer as the sun sank lower in the sky. By four Jadeite was still at large. The palace guard was sent to find him, but there was no trace of the King of Illusions.

"I suppose an hour is long enough." Endymion said unhappily, "If Jadeite deigns to join us he may do so in his own time."

"I agree." Kunzite stated expectantly.

"Very well then." Endymion sighed and addressed Minako, the chosen representative of the Alliance we were about to join after thousands of years of exclusion, "Let us begin."

* * *

The Princess of Jupiter hesitated near the crumbling, ashen foundations of what used to be a tavern in what little remained of the town of Meses. No force beyond the strength of her character and the irrepressible warmth of her heart brought her to this point. No reward awaited her beyond the self-satisfaction of offering aid and comfort to a troubled soul. She normally would have damned the consequences, but this soul was different. It was much akin to her own soul and being in such close proximity sent a resonating burst of doubt and worry through her otherwise staunchly courageous being.

Nephrite sat alone on top of a tapped ale keg with his back to the town square. The twilight was just beginning to fall and one by one the stars began to burn in the violet sky. He looked still and calm in the dim light of early evening. He looked relaxed and almost peaceful, but Makoto could sense his melancholy from the moment her eyes first caught sight of him. Physically he looked just as he did before she left aside from a pendant he now wore on a cord around his neck. It was a shining green stone held in a knot. It glowed pale green against his chest. She approached him cautiously and stood off to one side, mere feet away, silent and apparently unnoticed for many long minutes.

"The stars look different out here." Nephrite told her, fully aware of her presence.

"You should see them from Jupiter." She said lightly.

"Jupiter." He chuckled slightly to himself. He still had not turned to see her, "Hell of a long trip just to make idle chatter."

"That's not what I want." Makoto told him, "We started a dialogue before I was called away. Do you remember?"

"I remember." He said. His voice was lilting, mysterious, and though he was astride an ale cask, not slurred, "You wanted to help me mend my broken, pitiful soul."

"I don't want you to be alone in your pain." Makoto told him and edged closer to the once great King of the Stars.

"I'm not in pain anymore, princess." Nephrite told her and finally turned to face her. He looked somehow older than she remembered. His eyes betrayed signs of fatigue; he may not have slept in days.

"I disagree." She told him.

"I've heard that people who suffer great tragedies often take up various interests and hobbies to distract themselves from the pain of their meaningless lives." Nephrite said with a sideways grin and gestured to the smoldering ruins around him, "What do you think?"

"I think you need to come back to Elysion with me." Makoto told him and Nephrite only laughed.

"Why are you even here, Princess?" Neprhite questioned her with a maniacally jovial guffaw, "You could be off saving whole planets or galaxies even, yet you decide to come back to Earth, to a ruined kingdom, a ruined city and a ruined man who doesn't even want your pity."

"I don't pity you, Nephrite." She corrected him, "I empathize with you. I _know _how you feel."

His eyes were moist. He wasn't crying yet, but he was on the verge. A pewter mug with only a mouthful of ale left in it clattered to the ground. His fists were balled and turning white at the knuckles. That jade stone hanging around his neck surged with light as his emotions flared.

"Princess." He said in a growl, "You don't know anything."

"Just the fact that a man as powerful and stubborn as you can still shed tears when he's in pain is all I need to know about you." Makoto told him, somewhat tearful herself.

"Did you know I betrayed my master?" Nephrite asked her forcefully, "Did you know that I had to do it because of his obsession with your Moon Princess? I took up arms against my own people… I was cast out like a common thief. Did you know I murdered half the inhabitants of this town and burnt it to the ground, Princess? DID YOU?"

"It doesn't matter what you've done, Nephrite." The Princess replied, "This witch Beryl has you twisted and trapped within her web of deceit, but you can still cut your way out. Let me be the blade that frees you."

"Why?" He demanded the simplest of questions.

"Because nobody else will." She smiled as she spoke.

"You'll only be pulled down with me." Nephrite warned her as the Princess moved in closer.

The Princess of Jupiter stepped in front of the imposing, bark-haired King and wound her arms around his waist and under his arms. She laid her head against his chest and felt the steady, rumbling beat of his heart against her temple and simply stood there embracing him in a show of unconditional support. The crystal pendant hanging very near her seemed confused. Its light had grown erratic.

Nephrite didn't move at first. Nothing in the world could have prepared him for what she did. A hug, a simple gesture, became so much more. In a way he could feel in the core of his being the strange bond of warrior-like camaraderie they both shared. She communicated her own pain as well as her courage and warmth through the embrace. For a moment Nephrite saw clearly.

"You don't belong here." He told her, "Not with me. And certainly not in the world that She wants to create."

"Beryl is in a dungeon in the depths of Elysion." Makoto told him, still clasping him tightly in her arms, "All you have to do is open your heart and let me help you out from under her shadow."

Nephrite smiled down at her. It seemed to be a genuine smile although it ran with an intense undercurrent of regret. He pulled her closer with his left arm and cradled her head and curly chestnut hair with his right and allowed his wide hand to cup the side of her face.

"I'm afraid it's too late for that." He said in that solemn, resigned voice.

"Nephrite, don't just-" she tried to speak, but found her lips suddenly engaged with his. The kiss felt so right that she didn't question it at first. When the Fallen King drew away she very nearly tried to steal his lips back, but he held her too tightly to move. Her breath was falling short and the air in her lungs wasn't sufficient to gasp out against his strength.

"I wish I had met you sooner, Princess." Nephrite told her in all seriousness, "And I do thank you for trying to help me." Nephrite's hand tightened on the side of her face and her eyes began to bug out of their sockets, "Consider the fact that you won't suffer as something of a parting gift."

She found enough of a scrap of air in her body to hoarsely scream, "Jupiter Pow-"

Nephrite quickly and savagely twisted his hand and an audible crack cut the Princess' battle cry off in mid-scream. Her face was twisted in surprise and tears ran in streams down one side of her pale face. Nephrite gently laid her limp body down in the wet dirt near the collapsed remains of the fountain that once decorated the center of Meses. He arranged some of the fallen stones in a ring around her body and reached down to close her eyes with two of his broad fingers. He remained near her, crouched and contemplative until a shuffling behind him called his attention.

"Lord Nephrite?" Asked the gargling, raspy voice of a black-clad youma warrior, "What are your orders?"

"Signal your division that we'll be moving out as soon as the sun is completely below the horizon." Nephrite said. The youma grunted and moved to turn away but was stopped by the Shitennou's crippling grip on his shoulder, "And if you or any of your blasphemous, black-hearted ilk think of defiling this woman or her grave I will kill you all myself."

"Y-yes, my Lord." The youma groaned and was forcibly released.

Nephrite watched as it scurried back between the charred remnants of the town and down behind the hill on which Meses was built. In the valley far below he watched his army of youma, ten thousand strong, shout, curse, fight, and laugh in their vile, undulating way. The bonfires burned fueled by the inhabitants of Meses who were not lucky enough to escape. They slathered over their meal of raw flesh and Nephrite, as disgusted as he was by the creatures, had to smile at their effectiveness. Within mere hours the fires would be doused, the camp would be broken, and the march to Elysion would begin.

The stone hanging from Nephrite's neck was no longer confused. Its light did not flicker; it was now a steady, solid glow. The power of that stone reflected in Nephrite's eyes which had once been alive and vibrant, much as the stone itself, but were now dull and empty. He was certainly not exhausted or lethargic, but the light had gone out of him; the spark, as some people called it, had faded.

He turned his dull glowering gaze to the west, to the Golden Kingdom beyond, and he waited.

She couldn't sleep. She hadn't slept in weeks; the anticipation was too much to bear. Years of planning and a lifetime of sacrifice and ritual had led to this moment. As the sun set that evening she knew that dawn would not come again. The sun would rise, but it would not be a sun any man or woman of Elysion could recognize. It would be a dark sun, a hellish orb that shone down rays of blackness. It had taken so long to draw Metalia out and now the final tumblers were in motion. The lock would soon open and the door, Her door to the future would swing wide.

There was a thump outside the cell followed by a muffled shout and then another weight hitting the stones outside her prison. A grunt of strength, the clatter and clang of the heavy bolt against the door being thrown from its anchor and the clack of the latch followed one after the other. Dull lamplight spilled into the cell. Jadeite stepped through the breach with a light in one hand and his sword in the other.

"Master Endymion has ordered your execution." Jadeite told her in a neutral voice.

"Have you come to lead me to the gallows, then?" she asked him.

Jadeite's grip tightened on his sword, "I think the guards outside your room would still be conscious if that were the case."

"You would defy your own King and allow me to escape because a princess from another world told you it's wrong to kill?" Beryl chuckled gleefully. Jadeite largely ignored her placatory tone.

"You have two choices." Jadeite said, "Leave now or I'll kill you myself."

"And have to face a life of regret and separation from your Martian queen?" Beryl prodded.

"No." Jadeite replied with grim satisfaction and gestured toward himself with the tip of the blade, "Because I'd be right behind you."

The Queen of the Dark Kingdom seemed satisfied with his answer and walked toward the door. She moved past Jadeite who did not break eye contact with her and she gingerly stepped over the two guards that Jadeite had subdued. He gave a cursory glance around the cell and led her to the large, reinforced door at the end of the hallway. The Queen slipped through the portal, Jadeite behind, and the heavy latch of the door echoed behind them as it closed out one of the final chapters of the young Shitennou's life.

* * *

_**Author's Note:**__ I generally attempt to keep a mythological naming convention going for the few places I have to invent and they generally relate directly to what occurs there. You'll remember way back in the first few chapters the city of Acheron which was named after the river considered in Greek mythology to be the border of Hell. Rather appropriate name for what occurs there in the context of "Sojourn."_

_In the case of the town of Meses I'm using the name of a rather obscure ancient Greek deity who was said to be related to the northwest wind, also known as Skiron. Since Nephrite was in command of the Dark Kingdom's North American division and America is generally considered a part of western civilization I thought the name fit._


	30. Chapter 25, The Long Night

**TWENTY-FIVE**

**The Long Night**

Earth was finally being admitted to the Silver Alliance after centuries of exclusion. Queen Serenity would send her blessing down upon the people of Elysion and the lives of every person down to the lowest of the gentry would be enriched for it. Somewhere in a lofty tower above them the sacred documents were being scribed and royal seals were being emblazoned on official documents.

_Peace at last._

It was curious that Jadeite's mind wandered to such a scene as he ran through the narrow, sodden corridors under the Golden Kingdom in the labyrinthine dungeons. He kept a quick, steady pace with a torch in one hand and blade in the other as Beryl, the regent of the Dark Kingdom freed by his hand, followed swiftly behind. He did not look at her or even listen to her footfalls on the cold stone floors. He didn't want her to be there at all. No part of him truly _wanted _to do what he was doing, but another stronger part of him knew that it was all he could do to prevent his Master from making the gravest mistake of his long reign. Despite her witchcraft, deception and war-mongering no more blood would be spilled on Beryl's account, not even her own.

"Wait here." He ordered without actually addressing her.

The Queen obliged and Jadeite inched forward to peer around the sharp corner of an intersection. No lights approached from either direction and he could hear nothing save for their own breathing and the slight dripping of water from somewhere behind them. Jadeite had managed to dispense with most of the guard's presence before he even approached Beryl's cell, but he was cautious nonetheless.

"Something wrong?" Beryl asked him in a knowing tone.

"No, I…" Jadeite started to answer but noted too late that he didn't have one.

"You're not lost, are you?" she coaxed him.

"Shut up." He ordered brusquely and wagged his sword at her for effect.

"If we're discovered down here I'm sure they'll simply cut us down where we stand." Beryl reminded him nonchalantly.

"This way." He ignored her and pressed on down the right hand corridor.

They continued on their way in silence. Intersections appeared and Jadeite led them through a swerving, convoluted path which seemed to make no earthly sense. All at once they arrived at a short stairway pitched at a steep angle which led to a culvert at the edge of a dark, ill-used alleyway deep within the capitol city of Elysion. They crawled on hands and knees up the inclined brick shaft which trickled with a slim trail of runoff from the cobblestone paths above. When they reached the culvert Jadeite grasped the heavy iron grate and pulled it free of the stones with one hand. Beryl made no remark at the show of strength and watched intently as the young Shitennou, his white uniform now ashen and stained from their escape through the sewers climbed out into the moonless night.

"No lights." He murmured to himself.

Beryl took it as an indication of safety. She gathered her tattered gown and pulled herself up out of the culvert just as the jangling echo of mail and boots approached from the other side of a stone terrace. Jadeite was too slow to stop her and the queen tumbled out onto the cobblestones with a grunt just as the soldier came into view. He raised his lantern up to his eyes and squinted through the darkness.

"Who goes there?"

Jadeite was already working furiously to conjure an illusion to distract the guard, but as he saw the sentinel's eyes go wide he knew that any further effort would be futile. His lantern clattered to the ground. Oil spilled from the reservoir and ignited bathing the ground in fire. The soldier drew his sword and steadied his nervous grip with his off hand.

"It's you!" he gasped at the sight of Queen Beryl.

"Soldier!" Jadeite ordered, "Put your sword away."

"Lord Jadeite?" the man asked puzzled, "Is that you?"

"Yes." Jadeite stressed, "Lower your blade and let us pass."

"Us?" the man repeated, "Wh- where are you taking her? "

"I have orders from the King." Jadeite lied and his aching fist reluctantly tightened on the hilt of his sword, "Stand aside."

Beryl's feline eyes flashed in the flickering firelight. Jadeite didn't notice.

Against his better judgment the soldier pressed his question again, "You look as though you've run through the sewers."

"Soldier." Jadeite barked impatiently, "I will not ask you again to sheathe that blade and stand aside. That's an order."

Jadeite's voice was louder than he anticipated. Flickers of candlelight appeared in the windows of the buildings that surrounded the alleyway as civilians threw open their shutters to the night to find Jadeite and the dread queen practically on their back stoops.

"It's Beryl!" one terrified woman gasped.

Immediately latches on doors rattled as men stepped out, some in their bedclothes. Several were brandishing weapons, some swords and knives, but mostly makeshift wares; cooking pans, fireplace pokers, and stout chunks of wood. More rustling chain approached from all sides and three more guards, at least one of which Jadeite recognized from his many visits to the barracks, filtered into the tightening alleyway.

"So has Endymion decided what to do with this witch yet?" one of the men in the crowd asked and thumped a wooden carpenter's hammer against his calloused hand.

"If he hasn't I can think of a few things." Another added, this one digging the tip of a sharp knife under one nail as he waited expectantly for an answer.

"What's going on here?" the captain of this particular contingent of guards demanded as he stepped to the head of the column. Beryl's eyes flashed like lightning in the firelit alley once again. Jadeite took no notice.

"I'm under orders from Endymion himself." Jadeite spoke tasting the vileness of the lie on his tongue, "And despite that, I do not require his authority to order you to stand down and clear the road!"

"If you're transferring this prisoner to another location let us escort you." The guard captain suggested, "I've heard you can't be too careful with her."

"You don't need to transport her anywhere to cut her head off!" One of the men in the crowd shouted and his dark exuberance was returned with a chorus of approval.

"Go back inside!" Jadeite roared at the dozen or so strong crowd of onlookers. He then turned to the quartet of soldiers and ordered them: "You. Return to your posts at once. My orders are _not_ up for negotiation."

For a moment it appeared his harsh words had taken root. The guards each took a step back, but just as the so-called Voice of the Shitennou began to ease his guard he heard a startled cry from behind. He whirled around and saw Queen Beryl crumble to the ground. One of the men in the group cracked the knuckles of a thick fist and pummeled it again, down into the Queen's frail, prone form. Jadeite cried out and one of the other men grabbed a handful of the Queen's billowing inferno of red hair and jerked her head up.

"Negotiations are all you people know how to do!" the man spat and a hefty wad of phlegm trickled down the Queen's face, "Half of my family was slaughtered because of this whorish demon of a woman!"

"Stand down!" Jadeite bellowed and moved toward the man.

"Help me, Jadeite!" the Queen shrieked. Jadeite froze. The genuine terror in her voice chilled him to the bone.

"That's it! Beg, you despicable sow!" another man in the crowd hollered. He approached with a woodsman's axe drawn out in front of him.

"Beg like every woman and child your Dark Kingdom took from us!" the man holding her by the hair screamed and shook her violently.

"Please, no!" she cried. Tears fled her eyes and she sobbed loudly, "Please, you don't understand! I'm sorry! I'm_ sorry_! I didn't mean to do _any_ of it!"

"You lying harlot!" the man with the axe screamed and kicked her out of the other man's grasp.

Beryl hit the ground and tried to pull herself away over the rough stone, but a heavy boot pressed down on her lower back and painfully held her in place. She let out another terrified gasp and pitifully reached towards Jadeite who had been only been standing there in shocked surprise.

"They're…. going to… kill me, Jadeite!" she begged him weakly as her voice cracked and trembled, "Please… stop… them!"

"Since Endymion can't choose an executioner for you," the man with the axe announced as he gleefully spat on his hands and hefted his gruesome axe, "I'll volunteer."

"They can't do this!" Beryl whispered hoarsely up to the trembling Shitennou, "They have no right!"

"They have no right?" Jadeite repeated, more of a question as though he were asking the assailed, impaired, and imperiled woman for clarification. Didn't they have the right to take revenge on the woman who so cruelly murdered their kin? The woman who brought down one as mighty as Nephrite and orchestrated events as far away as Mars? What was it Rei had said …

_"No one has the right to take another's life, Jadeite." She told him soothingly, "People may end up doing it anyway, but no one has the __right__. That's all you need to remember."_

The axe was in motion. Its malevolent edge gleamed razor sharp against the flickering oil fire. Beryl's eyes were clenched shut. The onlookers were rapt in attention. Some had their tongues savagely pressed between their teeth as though they were watching a butcher cleave a shank of meat off a feast day roast. Seconds played out like hours as the decision travelled from mind to muscle.

Jadeite lunged forward and caught the haft of the axe with his left and drove the blade of his sword into the abdomen of the wielder. A surprised gurgle escaped the large man's lips and he tumbled backward with a groan. His broad girth settled where he fell and the life fled him. Jadeite withdrew his blade and stepped back.

"Lord Jadeite!" one of the guards gasped frightfully, "By Endymion, what did you do that for?"

Jadeite spun around and presented the axe that was still clutched tightly in his other hand as evidence for why he did what he had to do. The weapon was heavy, efficient and deadly. In his hand it felt unclean. He let it drop from his hand and the shining blade sparked against the stones as it clattered to the ground.

"He… he didn't even _do_ anything!" an astonished onlooker gasped. The words fell on Jadeite's deaf ears.

"My lord…" the guard captain stammered, "Why?"

"Get." Jadeite growled viciously, "Back."

The guard captain's throat clenched and he drew his sword. His men did the same. Jadeite's eyes narrowed and murmurs arose in the stunned, frightened crowd of onlookers.

"My lord, I …" the captain was still stuttering and trying to find his nerve, "I must ask you, please, to come with me back to the palace."

Jadeite didn't move or respond. His eyes were fixed straight ahead. Small droplets of rain began to pelt his brow. In the dark alley against the fire of the broken lantern his eyes were twin coals. One might have expected steam to billow up from his lashes into the dampening night air. Queen Beryl, still prone on the wet cobblestones, opened her eyes and saw the young King standing above her; _defending_ her. Her twin emerald spheres flashed in the blackness and still Jadeite did not see.

"My lord, I insist!" the guard captain commanded and reached out his arm to seize Jadeite by the shoulder.

At the last moment Jadeite noticed the concealed glint of the throwing knife resting within the captain's palm. The Shitennou's sword sliced in an upward arc and severed the captain's arm, chain mail, leather, flesh and bone at the elbow. He reactively dropped his sword and grabbed the gushing wound with a terrible cry. The other three guards issued battle cries and ran around the wounded captain as he dropped to his knees. There was no flourish, no swordplay, and no ringing report of blade on blade. Jadeite moved faster than any man could detect. His blade moved three times in three precise, practiced swipes. The guards staggered for a split second before their collective momentum toppled them to the ground where they lay motionless. Their blood spilled and mingled with the rain pattering softly down on the street as it trailed its way to the culvert.

"My god!' one of the men, most of whom had fled when Jadeite struck down the captain, screamed.

Jadeite spun around and the man quickly doubled back and ran for his life. Jadeite faced down the last remaining man; the one who had grabbed Queen Beryl by the hair and hoisted her like a common mongrel pup. His face had blanched and his lip quivered.

"Y-y-you're a…" he struggled against his fear, "M-m-monster!"

Jadeite swung the pommel of his sword down hard against the base of the man's skull and he fell forward, silent and subdued. Without wiping the blood from his blade he turned around and leaned over to pull Beryl to her feet. His heart skipped a beat. The Queen wasn't there. The bruised, bloodied, helpless witch had vanished. In her place stood a sight Jadeite could not bear to see.

Rei's hair was already soaked from the rain and it clung to her tightly despite the shawl that she wore. Her hands clasped the scarlet garment tightly at her chest. Her midnight eyes rippled with confusion and disgust at the sight of the bodies littering the alleyway. Her lips were pursed in a silent cry. She was shaking her head ever so slightly in disbelief.

"Jadeite!" she called out to him in a trembling voice, "What have you _done?_"

* * *

The night had fallen and still the council was in session. I yawned openly; it would have been an unforgivable breach of etiquette in any other setting, but considering that even Kunzite seemed to occasionally fight the urge to doze, I took it upon myself to forgive the infraction. I glanced across the continent of a table at Ami who echoed my sentiments as she blew a stray wisp of her dark watery hair out of her eyes and mechanically switched the hand that she was using to support her chin.

Minako, for her part, seemed no worse for the wear. She and Endymion read lengthy passages in difficult script which by now seemed to be little more than a random jumble of quasi-political sounding buzzwords sprinkled with a hitherto here and a whereas there. My aid was called occasionally to lend sense to some of the more obtuse passages and amendments, but otherwise I served only to occupy a table that was too large and felt too empty.

However, I could not lightly put aside the notion that this was a critical moment in the history of this world. My Master, the steward of the Earth had finally succeeded where whole civilizations believed he would ultimately fail. With each paragraph and each royal seal forever seared into the parchment we took one more step towards inclusion; one more step towards peace. The thought relaxed me which would have been welcome had I not already been so tired from simply doing nothing.

If I were relaxed then the opposite could be said of Princess Rei. Her function at this summit was to provide a spiritual element; she offered an opening blessing and occasionally made passing invocations as each successive article of the planetary charter was signed and sealed. Between these short speeches she stared intently at the vacant seat where Jadeite should have been. The young King's whereabouts were still unknown despite the palace guard's best efforts. Endymion had surmised that Jadeite was still brooding in isolation over the King's decision to execute the war-mongering Beryl.

As the last rays of the sun began to wink out behind the tops of the larger buildings the flickering firelight of the oil lamps in the council chambers became our only source of illumination. I watched as Rei's gaze shifted to those flames. The flicking tongues reflected perfectly in her deep, soulful eyes; eyes that I had never truly noticed before. Where Ami's were bright with wonder and intelligence and offered a glimpse into her true nature, Rei's eyes betrayed little of the inner workings which dwelt beneath her pale skin. Like deep, dark wells her eyes seemed to delve straight to the core of her being where all of her nuance, subtlety and manner were reduced down to the essential elements of the Martian priestess. I saw fire within her, as Jadeite had seen the day they dueled in the gardens. The flame of the lamps wrapped its tendrils around the very flame of her heart. The fires became one, grew brighter, intensified, and threatened to sear the world to ashes.

But Rei's fire was not a towering inferno burning without direction or remorse. Hers was a tempered flame and by her will alone could it be shaped and focused. I began to understand the intensity with which she concentrated on even the insignificant light of a single lantern. Fire had fascinated since the first primitive man struck it from wood and flint, but Rei's fascination with it had nothing to do with what the fire _was_ such as Ami's interest would have dictated, but rather what it _meant_. She devoured the flame as though it were mere words on a page. She was _reading _the flame and divining some manner of information from it.

"Prophecy!" I gasped within the confines of my own mind.

Now, perhaps it was the angle I was sitting at, or perhaps it was just my imagination, but for the briefest of moments I thought I could see in her eyes what she saw through the flames: it was a dark alley somewhere in the city. Fire burned on the ground; an oil slick from a broken guard's lantern. A dark figure moved through rain and smoke. I couldn't see his face…

Her eyes did not move in the presence of the flame, but the rest of her body did. I saw her hands, neatly folded on her lap, flinch and clench into fists and then begin to shake. Her body tensed and her brow began to moisten. Her thin ruby lips parted ever so slightly, but to my eye it might as well have been a piercing shriek of terror. Whatever she was seeing in the flame was scaring her…

"That concludes the third article." Minako told Endymion and let out a long sigh, "Only two articles remain. Perhaps we should take a brief recess; or reconvene in the morning?"

"I hope you don't hold this against me, princess." Endymion said with a nervous grin, "But I would very much like to conclude our affairs this evening. I'm sure you understand."

"Don't your people have a saying?" Minako returned, "Good things come to those who wait?"

"I believe we've waited quite long enough." Endymion answered tactfully and Minako smiled.

"Very well." She agreed, "But there may not be time enough to celebrate tonight."

"Milady…" Endymion laughed heartily, "After tonight I intend to celebrate for at least a week." He offered his bright smile to the other delegates, "And you are all welcome to join me."

Kunzite and I nodded to our liege and I briefly wondered how much wine Ami could actually handle, never having had the notion before. We both stood from the table at the same time and it was then that I noticed Princess Rei was already out of the room. Her departure was so swift not even Kunzite had noticed. Ami took the concerned look on my face as an indication of my next move and she silently nodded her understanding. I quickly made my way to my Master's side.

"My King." I spoke hesitantly, "There may be a problem…"

* * *

"_What have you done?"_

The question seemed to bounce around inside the hollow of Jadeite's mind where thought and reason had so recently dwelt. It was Rei's voice, but another voice echoed the words. Where Rei spoke out of empathy and terror, the other voice was one of sarcastic satisfaction and more a compliment than a curiosity. It was the voice of the Queen, the mad, murderous Queen of the Dark Kingdom that he had freed. _That _is what he had done.

"Jadeite!" Rei addressed him again. She barely took a step when Jadeite's bloody sword sprang up and held her at bay.

"Stay back." He ordered hesitantly. The rain pelted against the blade splashing blood from the cold metal onto the Princess' crimson shawl.

"Jadeite, what's wrong?" Rei urged him, but kept her distance.

"Who are you?" he demanded of her.

"What?" she asked in astonishment, "Jadeite, it's me! Don't you recognize me?"

"How can I be sure?" he asked. For all he knew the woman standing there was Beryl. She was cunning and manipulative. This could have been exactly how she seduced Nephrite, posing as someone he trusted and cared for.

"You can be sure because you know I wouldn't lie to you." She replied with the slightest hint of insult, "Put your sword away, Jadeite."

The tip of the sword lowered slightly, but he did not pull back his arm or dare sheathe the weapon. He wanted whole-heartedly to believe that the exotic beauty before him was his Martian princess, the fiery priestess who, despite their cultural gaps and the vast reaches of space separating their worlds saw enough worth in him to give of her people and of herself to point the career soldier down a new path.

"Rei…" he let out a painful moan, "She… she's _gone!_"

"Who?" Rei asked, but before the sound of the word faded into the rainy night she gasped the answer herself: "Beryl?" Jadeite could not even nod in reply, but she knew simply by the terror in his eyes it was so. Her spine stiffened and her complexion noticeably darkened, "Jadeite, how _could_ you?"

"What would you have me do?" Jadeite shot back at her immediately, "She was to be executed! If not tonight then tomorrow! How could I sit idly by when no man has the right to pass such judgment?"

"And what of these men who lay slain at your feet?" She accused him at the grim sight, "Their blood is upon your blade. From where do you derive _that_ right?"

"I had no choice! They were-" Jadeite stuttered, becoming increasingly agitated and unfocused, "They tried to attack her. They wanted to kill her!"

"So you killed _them_?" Rei assaulted, "To protect a woman that you believe in your heart deserved to die for what she did?"

"Why are you laying this guilt on me, Rei?" Jadeite demanded, "I only did what you would have done! I tried to follow your example! I was not going to allow her to be put to death!"

"A good intention is one thing, Jadeite." Rei said to him and turned away from the gruesome scene and the conflicted King, "But not like this…"

"You would have let Endymion take her to the gallows, then?" Jadeite asked sharply.

"I would have found another way." She bit back, "I would have avoided a fight and if I could not I certainly wouldn't have killed my attackers. You Shitennou are blessed with gifts much like the Senshi; you know you didn't _have_ to kill these men!"

"You weren't here, Rei!" Jadeite tried to rationalize to her, "Everything happened in an instant. I didn't have time to restrain myself or plan a defense. I had to _act_!"

"I believe that's all you can do, Jadeite." She wounded him, "You act and you play and you conjure illusions to blind yourself to the truth. Perhaps that's all you can see in what I tried to teach you, just another illusion, one that is affecting you instead of your enemies."

"Damn it, Rei!" Jadeite thundered at her and repeated his stance, "I had no choice!"

"No choice in what, Jadeite?" asked a callous voice from the alley behind the Martian princess.

Jadeite's heart sank deep and Rei, surprised, whirled around and saw Kunzite step through the shadows with Endymion and the rest of his entourage behind. Endymion's dark eyes swelled at the macabre sight. He echoed Rei's original question, but now took the Martian into account as well.

"What have you _done?_"

* * *

I could not believe the sight before me when Kunzite, Endymion, Ami, Minako and I rounded the corner of the alley and discovered the whereabouts of our missing companions. Jadeite stood in a circle of devastation; bodies lay around him, his boots were soaking in puddles of blood and rain, blood was upon his sword and standing beside him was the Princess of Mars.

"What have you done?" Endymion asked in a voice of grim astonishment.

"M- master!" Jadeite gasped. He could do little else.

"Your highness, Jadeite is-" Rei stepped forward, but Kunzite immediately put himself between her and the King. He had not yet drawn his blade, but he might as well have.

"Stay back." He ordered.

"Kunzite, what are you doing?" Minako asked defensively.

"Protecting my King." He stated factually. Minako's gaze drifted and met with Rei's who only offered a dismissive shake of her head.

"You must listen to me." She practically ordered, "Beryl has escaped."

"Escaped?" I gasped and moved to stand to the left of Endymion, "How? When?"

"Did she do this?" Endymion asked of the dead men filling the alley hoping beyond hope that his intuition was wrong.

"No…" Rei hesitated, "Not exactly."

"Where is she?" Kunzite cut straight to the point and Rei's practically indomitable will began to buckle against the force of the eldest Shitennou's own.

"I don't know. She was gone before I arrived." She confessed and stole a glance over her shoulder at Jadeite, still shocked and motionless with his bloody sword held out before him.

"You let her escape, didn't you?" Endymion realized and shoved past Kunzite's bulwark, "Jadeite!"

The King's shout snapped Jadeite to attention and he wheezed, "Master?"

"Did you release Queen Beryl?" The King pressed his young retainer, "Did you allow her to escape?"

"These men, they…" Jadeite muttered incoherently and his sorrowful eyes met Endymion's, "You, Master … even you wanted to kill her."

"She brought war and death upon us, Jadeite!" I interjected, "Who knows what devastation she could call down if she is allowed to return to the Dark Kingdom!"

"FIND HER!" Kunzite bellowed at a pair of guards who had accompanied the entourage, "Take as many men from the barracks as you need and comb every inch of the city; every stable, every house and every sewer!"

The guards did not even acknowledge the order; they simply turned and ran back toward the center of the city to carry out their assignment lest Kunzite's wrath take them. Endymion's face had not lost any of its original surprise.

"I can't believe you've done this, Jadeite." Endymion spoke with such a tone of regret and disappointment that Jadeite was forced to fight away tears, "And you, Princess." Endymion addressed Rei, "Whatever thoughts you planted in his head may have doomed us."

"My ideals saved a planet on the verge of self-destruction." Rei defended herself and her proud Martian heritage, "I only shared my beliefs; I am not responsible for how they were interpreted."

"You find no fault in your actions for what happened here tonight?" Kunzite questioned her.

"I had nothing to do with this!" she declared in reply.

"King Endymion, I must protest!" Minako intervened, "Am I to understand you suspect a Princess and Senshi of the Silver Alliance conspired to free your most dangerous adversary?"

"I do not suspect anything yet, Princess." Endymion answered her, "I only know what I see before me."

"How dare you accuse-" Minako began to scream.

"Princess, Master, this isn't the place for this." I interrupted just to try to get the two of them to stop bickering in the middle of the bloody lane.

"I am not accusing anyone of-" Endymion began to answer, but was interrupted by a commotion from the alley behind Jadeite.

The door of one of the tenement homes burst open and loud shouts and screams issued forth as a half dozen people tried to cling on to a large, burly man forcing his way through the door. I immediately began to move, but I knew in my heart I would be too late to make a difference.

"He let the witch-queen escape!" the man bellowed and clumsily aimed a crossbow despite all the people trying to deter him and hold him back, "This is for my son; whose death before the walls of this city is now in vain!"

A heavy click and the spring of the skein seemed to slow time to a crawl. Jadeite had his back to the man and in his state could not get out of the way in time. Kunzite was already moving as was Endymion. I was closest to him and I reached out, but Jadeite was too far from my grasp. A scarlet blur tinged with fire and wreathed in glossy black filled my vision. Sailor Mars threw herself into the young Shitennou and knocked him clear of the bolt's path. She was struck in the chest by the deadly projectile and the ruby crystal clasped over the bow on the front of her uniform shattered as the serrated tip of the bolt buried itself in her flesh. She staggered backward a step and steadied herself.

"Rei!" Minako screamed and took one step.

A second bolt left the crossbow before Kunzite closed the distance and tackled the man to the ground. In the blink of an eye the bolt caught Sailor Mars' throat and ripped a gashing wound through her jugular. A tide of blood stained her uniform as she grasped futilely at the bolt still embedded in her neck.

Ami cried out in terror and was at her comrade's side in a split second trying her hardest to stem the flow, but the look of desperation on her face told me all I needed to know. Minako and Ami lowered their wounded friend to the ground where her gushing blood joined that of Jadeite's victims and was quickly carried away by the rain. Endymion knelt down at her side and placed a hand over the wound and grimaced.

"We have to get her back to the Astral Gate!" Minako told him, "We have to get back to the Moon!"

"Mina…" Ami laid her hand on the Princess of Venus' shoulder. She turned to her and saw tears already pooling in her eyes.

"No, it's not too late!" Minako denied, "Queen Serenity can heal her!"

"She could heal her if we could get her there in time." Ami choked on her words, "But it's too late. The wound is too deep."

"We have to try!" Minako roared and reached down to hoist Rei onto her shoulder.

To her surprise the Martian seized her with one hand. Her bloody nails nearly tore through the Venusian's skin, but she held her fast. All she could do was shake her head and off the smallest, most barely recognizable smile she could.

"You're not giving up, Rei!" Minako told her as tears freely streamed down her face, "Not after everything we've been through." She forced herself to laugh, "You know I can't handle Serenity without you!"

Rei smiled again and swooned. Minako cradled her close and shook her hard to keep her awake, but her head lolled to one side. Jadeite was on his hands and knees next to her, bruised and shaken from being forcefully removed from the path of the arrows that should have killed him. Rei reached for him with her other hand. Jadeite seized it and his sword which was still gripped tightly through it all clattered to the ground. He couldn't speak; he couldn't even shed a tear for her. It was as though he were watching a stage drama, something that couldn't possibly be happening for real in front of his own eyes. I watched him crawl closer and I almost couldn't bear to keep my eyes on such a sight, but I refused out of loyalty and love to turn away. Neither of them spoke, I suspect Rei simply couldn't speak anymore, but whatever passed between them was obviously strong enough not to need the added complication of words.

Rei seized where she lay. Jadeite pulled himself next to her and stole her out of Minako's grasp. The Princess of Venus reluctantly let go, astonished by Jadeite's compassion. The Shitennou held her close as her blood stained his uniform. Jadeite smashed through whatever paralysis held his emotions and he began to cry. I had only seen Jadeite cry once before and those were tears of joy at Endymion's coronation as Prince. This was an altogether unnerving sight; his tears fell in torrents and the sound that escaped his throat was like an animal, wounded and suffering. He screamed her name to the heavens and I was sure his voice carried all the way to Mars itself. After several long, agonizing minutes he had no more tears to shed and he allowed the limp body of Sailor Mars to leave his grasp. Her face had been pressed against his chest; there was no way to know when exactly she had passed on. When I saw her empty eyes gazing out, now absent of the fire that had once so burned so brightly, I could do nothing but take Ami into my arms so she didn't have to see what I saw.

Jadeite was silent again. Kunzite walked up behind him and seized him by the arms and hoisted him to his feet. The younger Shitennou offered no resistance or any indication that he even knew that he was being handled so roughly. Kunzite spoke to Endymion with little more than a look and the King nodded, sorrowfully. I watched as the eldest Shitennou led my young companion towards the dungeons and I could stand no more; I began to weep bitterly.

"Stay with me tonight." Ami's soft voice pleaded hoarsely through her own choking tears, "You can't be alone after this."

"Neither can you." I agreed.

The weather worsened. The blood washed away quickly even as puddles swelled. Those of us who were left crowded around the fallen Senshi of Mars as if to shield her from the storm. In time I couldn't tell where the tears ended and the rain began.

* * *

Endymion came to Jadeite's cell within the hour. The still-bloodied Shitennou did not even acknowledge the King as he stepped through the heavily guarded door into the cell. He ordered the guards to leave them alone and they reluctantly bowed to the monarch's wishes. When he was sure they were beyond the inner door Endymion removed one of his thick leather gauntlets and mercilessly belted Jadeite across the mouth with it.

"Master!" Jadeite gasped. He could taste a thin metallic trickle at the edge of his lips.

"Stand up." Endymion ordered. Jadeite hesitated and the King struck him again with his gauntlet. Jadeite stumbled in his seat and fell to the muddy floor, _"STAND!"_

He obeyed slowly and rose to his full height. Jadeite recalled that he was always just an inch or two shy of being as tall as his King, but tonight in the dim cell Endymion seemed to tower over him like Kunzite did. The young Shitennou shrank into himself as his Lord looked down on him in utter contempt.

"Where did she go?" he asked.

"She…" Jadeite swallowed hard and tried to drive the pain and fear from his voice.

"Answer me!" Endymion ordered and his fist pounded Jadeite in the lower ribs.

He was flung into the stone wall and crumpled to the ground again. He struggled to stand and felt the King's powerful hands around his throat at once. He hoisted him up in the air and shook him violently. Jadeite coughed and gasped for breath against Endymion's grasp.

"Where is she?"

"I don't know!" Jadeite choked out. His useless answer was met by another display of strength and Endymion cast him with all his might into the wall again. A sharp pain ran through his arm and fractured shoulder and he slid on his back down to the ground once more.

"Master… please!" Jadeite weakly proclaimed, "Hear me!"

"Unless you know where Beryl has gone you have nothing to say that I want to hear." Endymion shot back.

"The execution…" he groaned heavily. One eye was already swollen shut from his impact against the wall and he could barely make out Endymion's outline to address him, "… you must … an example!"

"Do not test me with ravings, Jadeite!" Endymion hollered and grabbed for his collar again.

"It must be me!" Jadeite declared clearly, "You have to… send a message! My punishment…"

"You want me to execute you in her place?" Endymion asked and savage grin overtook his normally calm, forgiving features, "You think I haven't already considered it?"

"M- master…" Jadeite moaned.

"I have held your life in my hands since the day you were called to serve me!" Endymion bellowed at him and squeezed around his throat, "Ever have you thought of yourself as my equal; as if the Shitennou were my _true_ kin and not simply servants of my power! No longer!"

He slammed his back against the wall again and growled, "No, Jadeite. I'm not going to kill you." Endymion heaved the younger man against the door of the cell and let him drop from his grasp, "Death is too easy an escape."

Jadeite returned to his feet, back pressed against the doorway and shivered where he stood. He was a Shitennou, a god among men, one of the four living embodiments of the strength of the Earth itself, and he was trembling like a child. The King was terrifying to behold and as much as he wanted to shield his gaze he knew that somewhere deep in his heart the respect and love he held for Endymion would not allow it. He would face this just punishment with an open mind and an open heart.

"You have disappointed me, Jadeite." Endymion spoke with such profound regret that Jadeite's knees buckled, "You _were_ like a brother to me, once."

"Master, please!" Jadeite begged, but he was silenced with a dismissive shrug.

"You cannot atone for this." The King said factually, "There is no restitution; no possible way I could ever trust you again." Endymion paused and looked his one-time close counsel in the eye, "I could still trust Nephrite even after the horrible things he did, but this …"

Jadeite couldn't find the breath to speak now. It was as though Endymion was reaching inside him and seizing his lungs, his voice, and his very soul. No word could describe the terrible pain and emptiness washing over him at the King's words of trust. Jadeite had nothing without that trust … the one gift of his Master that set the Shitennou apart from every other living thing on Earth.

"The Shitennou are broken." Endymion spoke almost too casually, "The strength of your bond has failed and I see no reason to continue on the way we have."

Endymion reached into the velvety folds of his cape and produced Jadeite's favored weapon: the curved blade that served him so well, a symbol of his office and authority. He unsheathed it and held the blood-tarnished blade up for his young advisor to see, then with a mighty swing he struck it against the stone wall of the cell and the blade shattered like glass. He cast the useless hilt down at Jadeite's feet and offered the stunned man a painful choice.

"You are to be cast out of my Kingdom; an exile for all time." Endymion told him, "You will be escorted to the gates and be given nothing to take with you save for what you currently possess." Endymion swung the cell door open, stepped through and called for the guards, "Forgive me for not escorting you personally, but I can no longer bear to look at you, Jadeite. Thanks to you I no longer know who, if anyone, I can place my faith in."

With that the King left him. The painful words spun around in his head like a cyclone. He was collected from his cell only a few short hours later by a full company of soldiers. He was paraded through the city, mocked, and jeered in the night by citizens and guards. Kunzite stood along the main street keeping the crowd from mauling him, but he could tell it was not an act of mercy and the eldest Shitennou would have gladly let them tear Jadeite apart. He was unceremoniously abandoned at the gates which slammed shut behind him, an impenetrable vault. For a long while he simply swayed in place watching the black, moonless sky and wishing he could see the alabaster orb and b blame it for all his troubles, but only darkness answered him. In time the bright orb would have only reminded him of the pearlescent skin of the departed Princess of Mars… The pit of empty blackness inside him grew and he began to move.

He had no destination or even an inkling where he might go or what he might do. His whole life was spent in the service of the King, a king who now thought him a traitor and could not even bear to look at him let alone allow him into his service. Jadeite fought away the tears of rejection and failure and simply focused his will on putting one foot in front of the other.

The roads gave way to wilderness paths and finally nothing at all as he clawed and clamored his way through the night. Twisting vines slowed him; brambles threatened to choke out the world around him and Jadeite was prepared to let himself be taken by whatever predator happened upon him first, but he pressed on. Deep in the forests far beyond the Elysian Fields he finally discovered a clearing.

Leathery-skinned youma hunched around fire pits and gnawed on the bones of man and beast alike. They cackled and cheered as he approached them, but he paid them no heed. At the back of the clearing there stood a cave whose yawning mouth had been crudely shaped to resemble the maw of some demon. Torches lined the entrance and as he descended the cave narrowed until he was forced to crawl. The suffocating blackness consumed him as he entered a tight corridor that not even torchlight could illuminate. When he finally emerged from the dark he found himself in a large chamber supported by natural columns. A crude throne was hewn out of rock at the far end of the chamber and upon it sat the red-headed witch-queen Beryl.

"You come groveling, no less." She spoke candidly.

Jadeite, realizing he was still crawling on all fours straightened up, but kept his head bowed away from her. She left her throne and approached him, closing the distance with unnatural speed.

"I didn't expect you to find me so quickly." she whispered tantalizingly as she circled around him.

"I…" he spoke hesitantly, "I don't know why I'm here."

"Does that mean you should be somewhere else?" Beryl hissed at him.

"I had nowhere else to go." He confessed, "Something… something led me here."

"Tell me what happened." She coaxed him.

"You were there." He said, "Those men who attacked you, I …" he paused and Rei's lingering words echoed in his head, "I killed them." He paused only for a moment and then said, "Sailor Mars tried to defend me and she was struck down and my Mast-" another hesitant pause, "King Endymion… he… he cast me out."

"Did he?" Beryl asked knowingly and led Jadeite by one hand toward her throne.

Before the stone seat was a white staff carved of bone that stood erect despite not touching the ground. A clawed cradle at the head of the staff held a glittering sphere. Beryl waved a single hand over the orb and Jadeite immediately saw an image of King Endymion. He was standing with Kunzite and Zoisite over the body of Sailor Mars. Jadeite tried to pull away from the image, but Queen Beryl's lithe fingers seized the back of his head and forced him even closer to the images in the crystal ball. His heart broke to see the beautiful Martian again, but try as he might to avoid looking at her something caught his eye. She was not pierced by crossbow bolts. There were slashes on her forearms that indicated she had tried to defend herself against a blade. Then Jadeite saw it: the weapon that had pierced her heart and stained the Earth beneath it for all time.

It was his sword.

"What is this?" he stammered. Beryl said nothing and forced him to look again.

The image shifted and he saw himself, cowering in a barn outside the walls of Elysion. The farmer and his family were dead, but Jadeite could not remember killing them. He saw himself on his knees pleading up to "Endymion" but the King was not there. There was nothing in that room but Jadeite, the cold night air, and whatever phantasms he had conjured. He struck himself with his own fist, bloodied his nose and blackened his eye. "Endymion" called him a traitor and cast him out and Jadeite wearily stumbled into the night …

"No." he said in a mere whisper.

"Endymion didn't cast you out." Beryl told him, "You cast yourself out."

"It's a lie." He said, still watching himself in the crystal ball ranting and raving at ghosts.

"They were illusions." She growled proudly, "Illusions so powerful that not even their creator could tell them from reality."

"It's not true…" he began to cry as he now saw Endymion and his fellow Shitennou standing in what used to be his chambers looking for any sign of him and lamenting how much they missed their brother-in-arms.

"All because your poor Martian Princess had to fill your mind with her sentimentality and ideals." Beryl continued, "Your friends saw it long before you did. Ever since you came back from Mars you weren't quite…" Beryl smiled a thin, vicious smile, "… yourself."

He heard Rei's voice in his memory full of anger and worry, _"You act and you play and you conjure illusions to blind yourself to the truth."_

"I didn't know." The broken Shitennou cried and suddenly found himself feeling weightless. His body floated up into the air and he saw the witch-queen Beryl standing above him.

"What are you doing?" he asked only vaguely aware of what he was saying.

Beryl's clenched fist gleamed with an apple-green flash. She opened her palm and a jade stone filled Jadeite's vision. The object glowed brighter as the Queen moved closer to him and the tantalizing allure of the stone was almost irresistible.

"What is that?" he asked.

"A gift, if you'll have it." Beryl told him, "A path through the pain." She laid the stone on Jadeite's chest and its brightness forced him to look away and back up into the scarlet-gold eyes of the Queen, "Metalia made this stone for you, Jadeite."

"Meatlia?" he whispered. His strength was beginning to ebb as though it were being siphoned away by some unseen force.

"Your comrade Nephrite has already accepted My Lady's gift." Beryl told him, "She wishes to spread her gift to every man, woman and child on Earth; to bask in the energy of life and to make every living thing as permanent and unchanging as stone."

Jadeite suspected some form of lie veiled in Beryl's poetry, but his thoughts turned to the path through the pain as the Queen had called it. Nothing could mend the damage to Jadeite's soul now, not after the murder of the woman he loved and his ultimate betrayal of his Master, but numbness… a life without that pain. The thought was appealing. After all, what did he have left to live for outside of Endymion's favor? His hand sought out the stone on his chest and he marveled at its light as he held it tightly in front of his face.

"I can tell by the look in your eyes that you've already accepted My Lady's gift." Beryl grinned wickedly, "You will find peace here, Jadeite."

The jade stone flashed brilliantly and Jadeite's world melted away in a white-green haze. Something joined him in his consciousness, a presence of some kind. The pain of his betrayals ebbed just as she had promised, but it was replaced. It was replaced by a new purpose and a new drive. It was so simple… he didn't know why he hadn't seen it before. The answer was right in front of him the whole time; actually, it was above him. Above the Earth.

"Jadeite." Queen Beryl addressed him. She was almost feverish with excitement, "Hear me and obey."

He turned his head. He was smiling again; it felt like it had been so long. The feeling was indescribable and he almost wanted to laugh, but suppressed it in favor of respect. Endymion may have had no more use for Jadeite, but this woman, this Queen, this… goddess… she saw worth in him again. He clasped a hand over his breast and stooped to one knee in quiet reverence.

"An army from all corners of the globe awaits your command." Beryl told him and ran her long, lithe fingers across his cheek, "You will lead My Lady's host and together we will march to Elysion."

"Yes, my Queen." Jadeite answered. The words tasted of the sweetest wine and were just as intoxicating.

That warm, white-green glow filled him and he felt renewed strength rush into his body. He flung his arm out to one side and a black, inky portal like a hole in reality opened before him. He walked inside and was whisked away into the night. Queen Beryl's golden eyes sparkled with power and she could not help but laugh at the ease of it all. The plan may have taken decades to formulate and the cost was high, but it had been, as she anticipated, flawlessly executed.

She returned to her throne, grasped her staff with its sparkling seeing-stone, and made a fist with the other hand. Her fist began to glow and a new stone appeared, finely cut and polished to perfection. She bent down with blood-red lips and kissed the cold surface of the stone and whispered to it softly:

"It is time."

* * *

I moved silently through the halls of the palace. Then night was failing and dawn would soon come. The guards had been reposted to the walls and entrances of the city to keep an eye out for Jadeite who had been missing since earlier in the evening when he seemed to lose all sense of himself. Sailor Mars and several innocent bystanders had already fallen to his delusions and no chances could be taken that he could slip through the defenses and kill again.

Ami was asleep back in my chambers, pillows saturated with tears. I felt terrible when I slipped out and away from her, but this had to be done. I slid my back against the cold wall and peered around the corner. There was only one more intersection between where I stood and the door to Endymion's chambers. I waited for several moments before I decided to trust my instincts. I closed my eyes and listened. More than that I felt the world around me; every small noise, every vibration, every slight variation in the way the air moved through the night. Suddenly I felt it, the terror that gripped me when I stirred from my slumber. Something was coming that I only had one chance to stop. I readied my blade and threw my body out into the hallway.

I gasped and cried out.

Kunzite had made it to the King's chamber door. He was dressed in bedclothes and a blade was in his hand. His eyes were wide and I could tell at once that they were not his own. I don't know how I was so sloppy or slow, but I had allowed him to slip right past me. There would be no way for me to catch to him, let alone defeat him before he had a chance to drive the curved dagger that was clutched in his right hand into my… _our_ King's heart.

However, I didn't need to stop him now. Sailor Venus took a step back and with it she pulled out the sword that had pierced Kunzite's chest. I could tell simply by the taper of the blade and its extravagant ornamentation that it was the fabled Moon Sword which was only entrusted to the chief Senshi. Kunzite didn't make a sound even when the bloody blade was pulled free. He looked like little more than an automaton. Sailor Venus turned and finally saw me. I was several meters away, but I could clearly see tears on her cheeks.

Kunzite staggered still trying to reach the door of Endymion's chambers. The dagger fell from his hand and burst into flame when it struck the ground. I felt the wash of evil energy immediately and the unmistakable mark of Queen Beryl's dark power. The eldest Shitennou buckled, sunk to his knees, and finally pitched to one side and fell.

The immovable Kunzite, our Master's right hand, the undefeated general and rock of the Shitennou had fallen.


	31. Chapter 26, Battle of the Elysian Fields

**TWENTY-SIX**

**The Battle of the Elysian Fields**

Blood was beginning to seep down the cracks of the marble tile. I could easily detect the telltale metallic odor thanks to the flare of brimstone from the vanishing dagger moments earlier. Kunzite laid motionless save for erratic breaths taken out of consciousness. My eyes moved up from the bloody tip of the Moon Sword to her trembling hands grasped tightly around the hilt and finally to the face of Sailor Venus. The tears had already dried. A blank expression met my start of surprise. Every repressed instinct to stay my hand vanished and I moved forward intent on retribution.

Then the unthinkable happened. The door of Endymion's chambers swung open and my King emerged. He had not slept, that much was obvious. He was wearing a loose cotton shirt, but still gird in his formal trousers, greaves, and bracers of his fine armor. For a moment it seemed as though he did not see Kunzite lying sprawled, wounded, and dying on the floor in front of him. He seemed to look straight ahead at me as though he were merely expecting a routine report of the evening's goings-on. When his eyes finally fell to the body before him I felt in my own chest the weight of my Master's heart pulling him down into the depths of blind rage.

For the Shitennou Kunzite was not simply our captain in war or our peer in matters of strategy and mysticism; he was the eldest of the brothers. Perhaps I had not mentioned it as much as I should have, but the Shitennou were not simply a fighting unit or a council of advisors; we were a family; we were brothers and Kunzite was first among us. To Endymion, however, Kunzite was all that and more. To Endymion Kunzite was the closest thing our Master could have to a true blood relation. Even in his youth when Kunzite could have been mistaken for his father they were inseparable. Endymion's renowned wisdom and compassion was tempered by Kunzite's guidance. His skill with a blade was owed to Kunzite's instruction. No fragment of Endymion's life or person was not touched by the eldest Shitennou's influence.

Endymion fell to his knees near the fallen warrior. His greaves rang against the hard stone and the metal dug into his flesh sending ripples of pain that the King did not register. Endymion rested a hand upon Kunzite's shoulder and rolled him into his lap. His eyes were open, but empty. An awful stench seeped from the wound and a strange substance mingled with his blood. To my eye it looked almost as though it were glittering in the pale torchlight. His chest would rise in fitful bursts momentarily, but he gave no other outward sign that he was alive.

Minako stood nearby, still and silent. Endymion slowly turned to face her. His jaw was set and his face was impassive. She held the culprit sword at her side. The blade dripped upon the floor, blood mingled with that strange sparkling substance pooled at her feet. Her grip was limp on the sword and Endymion in his rage brought up his arm and struck the sword with the bracer on his wrist. The weapon was thrown from her hand and clattered into the corner of the column-lined terrace. Minako jumped where she stood, simultaneously surprised and ripped from her silent trance.

"Kunzite!" was what she gasped.

Endymion no longer paid her any heed. He quickly wound his arms around the fallen Shitennou's shoulders and under his legs and lifted him off the ground. The King moved swiftly and passed me by without a second glance. I hurried after him sparing only a fleeting, scowling glance at the murderous Senshi who had struck down my colleague. I heard the clack of her uniform boots as she followed at a distance, but I didn't look behind.

Endymion screamed at the top of his lungs as he jogged down the hallway with Kunzite's body. He called out for healers and he called out for the guards. Half of it was the ravings of a man beset by the most profound grief imaginable. I doubt the King knew anything, despite his benevolence and years of counsel, than pain and revenge in those moments.

We rounded a corner to the great hall where only hours before we had met with the Senshi to draft the Earth's formal treaty with the Silver Alliance. The long table was still strewn with the parchments of that treaty. Endymion kicked chairs out of the way as he approached the table and he lay Kunzite's bleeding form down on top of it, on top of the scribbled notes and the official illuminated treaty document itself. The room was abuzz in moments as healers, hearing the maddening calls of their king in the dead of night arrived to attempt to save the great Shitennou. Armored guards with poleaxes filtered through the arches, surrounded Sailor Venus, and leveled their weapons at her.

"King Endymion!" she shouted in protest.

"Is he going to live?" Endymion asked the healers without paying a lick of attention to Venus.

The healers, all identically garbed in white robes tied with crimson sashes and hoods mumbled amongst themselves.

"_WILL HE LIVE?_" Endymion with all the fury of the Earth.

The healers shrank back at the power in his voice. One of them mustered their courage and spoke, "I don't know… yet."

Endymion whirled around, shoved his way past the guards surrounding Venus and grabbed her by both shoulders, "What have you done?"

"What I had to." She answered. For a moment I thought my Master was about to strike her.

"He was blinded by you. He _loved_ you." Endymion growled at her. Despite the power she wielded as a Senshi he was unfazed, "I never knew you Senshi could be so treacherous."

"There was no treachery on my part." She accosted him, "I _prevented_ treachery. I had to remedy what you have all been too blind to see!" She caught me in her glance with that statement and I couldn't help but listen.

"You seduced him." Endymion accused again, "To his death."

"I. Saved. Him." Sailor Venus spoke slowly and deliberately with tearful anger broiling in her eyes.

Endymion snapped his head around to view the splayed out form of his most trusted confidant now under the hands of healers and apothecaries trying desperately to mend flesh and bone.

"Saved him?" Endymion laughed cruelly, "I wonder if you've ever fantasized about _'saving'_ me."

"Master…" I stepped forward hoping to silence any further, unwarranted outbursts.

"Assume whatever you like, King Endymion." Minako challenged him, "Kunzite's body may be broken." She glanced at the cocoon of healers around her wounded lover, "But at least his soul is intact."

"Get out." Endymion ordered in a low voice.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Your presence is no longer required." Endymion intoned gravely, "Here or anywhere else on Earth."

"Are you throwing me off your planet?" Venus balked.

"Not just you." The King replied, "All of the Senshi."

My heart raced… Ami.

"Master, perhaps we should—" I was cut off.

"The treaty negotiations are nearly complete!" Venus argued, "Don't waste all the work we've done!" Her own rage at her recent losses were beginning to get the better of her, "Don't let Rei's death have been in vain!"

"The negotiations are on hold until I say otherwise." Endymion affirmed, "Until the fate of my comrade is decided and until I have conducted a thorough investigation into your claims."

"You are letting your anger control you." Minako accused him, "You forget: you are not the only one who watched a friend fall tonight."

"_You_ forget!" Endymion bellowed, "You ran him through with your own blade! There is blood on your hands still!" He grabbed her palms and pointed them upward to show her the stains and browning trails of Kunzite's blood, "So speak your comforts to me, Mina! Explain this!"

"Kunzite was going to kill you." She spoke icily, likely knowing that Endymion would not listen.

"Kunzite, my brother, would be my assassin?" Endymion chuckled ruefully, "The man who practically raised me as a son? Who stood by me through every trial?"

"Who better suited than the man who knew you best?" she countered.

"Enough!"

"King Endymion, you must believe me!" Venus shouted and stepped forward risking immediate reprisal from the guards on all sides of her, "Let me explain!"

"Explain?" the King hollered back, "You've explained _nothing _since the first moment you set foot on this Earth! You tempted and teased your way through the ranks of my Shitennou only to lead the greatest of them to his deathbed all the while baiting us on with the promise of a covenant with your Silver Aliance, still at arm's reach."

"Endymion, I can help you mend _everything _if you would just stop and listen to me!" Venus argued in frustration.

"I think you've done quite enough already." Endymion said and nodded to a guard.

The armored sentinel laid a hand on her shoulder despite the fact that she was a legendary Senshi. Venus looked nearly broken; a look of utter confusion contorted her face. I hazarded another glance at the prone body of Kunzite and then looked back at the Venusian.

"If you cast us out." She warned, "You may never see Princess Serenity again."

If her threat affected Endymion in any way he didn't show it. He only responded with, "So be it."

The guards led Sailor Venus away. Endymion motioned to the rest of the posse and ordered them to escort the other resident princesses to the astral gate. My heart began to beat quicker. I could not leave my master at a time such as this, but I was keenly aware that I truly may never see Ami again if I didn't intercept her before she stepped through those enchanted arches.

"Master." I hesitated and stepped in front of him to be in his field of vision, "Do not be too hasty in your decision. Perhaps sending the Senshi away is not in the best interest of—"

"Zoisite." My Master spoke in a placatory tone, "I have lost my Shitennou one by one." The pain in his voice was laced with regret, anger, and directionless blame, "I can turn to you alone now for counsel." He placed a hand on my shoulder, "And your counsel is what I desire least right now."

I felt as though I had been struck by the anchor of a mighty ship. My Master, dismissive, walked past me to the side of the conference table where the healers chanted their chants and mixed their unctions. Endymion knelt down at the side of the table, took one of Kunzite's limp hands in his own, and said nothing.

More healers rushed by me as they entered the room with mortars and vials. I excused myself and stood outside the arch leading to the great hall. I leaned heavily on the column letting the cool marble soothe the burning flames of passion and anger threatening to engulf me completely. I couldn't waste any more time. I was sure Endymion would be upset with me when he found out, but I couldn't just let her leave.

I began to run as fast as my feet could carry me across the palace grounds to the villa where the princesses were lodged. Makoto was unaccounted for as she had gone off to try and find the wayward Nephrite leaving only Ami for the guards to collect. I had hoped to beat them to the villa, but when I arrived I found the door to Ami's quarters ajar and the signs of a hasty exit: lamps still lit, closet doors open, and a ruffled bed. I turned back towards the palace with all the speed I could muster.

Doors might as well have been cobwebs. I didn't stop to open them, I simply shouldered my through them despite latches, locks, or bolts. Several heavy wooden slabs were dislodged from their hinges as I plowed my way down the corridors in a mad race against time. I heard commotion from the vicinity of the astral gate and when I finally reached the foyer of the gate there were two dozen iron-clad guards using halberds to motivate the remaining princesses through the enchanted arches.

"Stop!" I ordered in as commanding a voice as possible. Some of the guards stood down, but those who had taken Sailor Venus from the great hall kept their weapons at the ready, "You men are dismissed."

"Endymion ordered us to escort them off the planet." The captain of the guard stated.

"And a fine job you've done, Captain." I summoned the considerable power that served me well throughout my long life as a Shitennou and it served to effectively intimidate the man, "Wait outside."

"As you wish." He acquiesced at last and led the contingent of guards out of the gate room. The heavy ironwood doors swung shut leaving me alone with Minako and Ami.

"Good." Minako said first and took one step towards me, "Endymion will listen to you if I tell you what—"

"I didn't come here to speak to you." I told the Venusian icily. The time I spent as her plaything to entice Kunzite forced its way into my mind and fueled my rage.

"Zoisite, listen to me!" Minako pleaded and despite my anger and bordering hatred of the golden goddess I could hear honesty resounding in her voice, "I wasn't trying to kill him!"

"But you very well may have." I reminded her.

"Inspect the wound for yourself if you won't believe my words." She said cryptically, "If you men of the Earth require proof before your eyes then reach into wound and find it."

With that she turned away. Her golden hair washed around her like a cloak and for the briefest of moments I recalled how struck by her beauty I was when she first appeared before us a veritable lifetime ago.

"I loved him." She said to me with genuine regret, "I'm sorry for what passed between us, Zoisite, but I needed you to get to him. I need you to _save_ him."

"You don't run the man you loved through with a sword." I spoke flatly. Ami was still standing there, silent as the grave.

"The man I wounded was _not_ the man I loved." Minako said. Her body became hazy and indistinct; her hair was like gold dust. That familiar static spark filled the air and she was gone.

I turned to Ami who could not meet my gaze. Her eyes were red and she was still wearing little more than a nightgown. Her hair was unkempt and rustled; it was, in a painfully morbid way, the first time I had seen her so casual. I winced at the thought of it being the result of an endless night of treachery, bloodshed and loss.

"I should just go." She whispered with that telltale exhausted voice of a woman who has spent too many hours crying.

"Ami." I reached toward her, but didn't try to close the distance between us.

"I have no words, Zoisite." She confessed, "I… I can barely breathe."

"We can't let it end this way, Ami." I pleaded with her, "Not this treaty between our peoples, not this horrible night. Not _us_."

"That's all the more reason I should just leave." She stated, "I can leave now with the memory of you and all the wonderful things we shared intact." She sniffed back sobs of dry tears, "Don't ask me to leave with a broken heart as well."

"And what of my heart?" I asked her and finally moved to stand eye-to-eye thanks to the height of the astral gate's dais, "I have lost my brothers; I am very near to losing my King. I _can't_ lose you, Ami! I don't have the strength to endure it!"

She didn't answer. She shook her head and buried her face in her palms. I walked beside her; cautiously wound an arm around her shoulder still unsure as to whether or not she would accept such a gesture. In reaction she threw her arms around my waist squeezed tighter than a vice. She moaned softly, the moan of aching dry eyes and a torn heart. My fingers found their way through her scraggly aqua hair and we simply stood there offering the support to each other that we so desperately needed.

I heard a muffled series of cries through the thick stone walls of the astral gate room followed by a titanic explosion. The whole castle shook on its foundations and age-old dust plumed up around us and settled.

"What was that?" Ami gasped and turned towards the doorway.

"This can't be happening." I despaired. A second explosion shook the room with such force that I pulled Ami down into a protective embrace fearing that the arches of the astral gate might topple on us.

"We're under attack." I told her wanting desperately to disbelieve my own words, "Ami, I …" The words stuck in my throat like pitch.

"Let me come with you." She unexpectedly asked and gripped my wrist with both of her small hands, "If we're to end this night for the better then we must stand side-by-side."

"Ami, it's too dangerous." I warned, forgetting who I was speaking to.

In an instant the room was filled with blazing azure light as Ami's plain nightgown shredded under the magical appearance of her Senshi's uniform. Her eyes narrowed slightly and she clenched her gloved hands into fists.

"Danger doesn't concern me." She said confidently, "Even less so if you will fight by my side."

I needed no other stimuli. A took Ami's hand and led her out of the astral gate. I had expected the guards I sent away to be waiting there for us, but they seemed to have dispersed with the explosions. We made our way down the hallways as a series of blasts shook the castle again. I could only assume the Dark Kingdom was at our doorstep battering us with more of their fiendish siege machines with an army of youma clawing at the gates. We continued down the hallways until we passed by the great hall where Kunzite still lay. Some of the healers had left, but there were still a dozen of them in the room plying their trade over the wounded Shitennou. I entered with Ami and a hush fell over them, but I did not see Endymion among them.

"Where is the King?" I asked hurriedly.

"He returned to his chambers to fetch his armor." One of the healers answered, "He intends to stand guard over your injured comrade."

"With a battle brewing on our doorstep?" I asked as another crash of boulder-on-stone punctuated my query. The healers mumbled among themselves, but did not answer directly.

Kunzite's blood stained the table, the floor, and the treaty documents we had drafted with the Silver Alliance. I found it ironic, but oddly appropriate as I approached. Puddles of blood sparkled with that strange substance I had noticed before. The healers parted as I stepped to the side of the table and inspected the stabbing wound in his gut that Sailor Venus' blade had left.

"You must be very careful, Lord Zoisite." One of the healers spoke to me, "We have cleansed the wound, but it must not be disturbed for—"

I didn't allow him to finish. My fingers probed the deep slice for only a moment before I spread the folds of Kunzite's torn flesh apart and plunged inside. The healers gasped; one of them openly screamed, but Sailor Mercury stepped forward, assumed an offensive posture, and immediately negated any possible rebuttal. I felt around the deep, penetrating wound as fresh blood began to seep from Kunzite's cooling body. For a moment I mentally scolded myself as I had never done before for risking such a ridiculous thing as Minako's suggestion, but all other thoughts were replaced when the tip of my index finger touched something that was neither muscle nor bone. I felt a familiar surge of emotion; the same that I felt on the Voyage to Acheron with Nephrite so long ago. It felt exactly the same as the moment the dying captain of the _Celeste _handed my companion a small stone…

I grasped the object between the only three fingers I could fit into the depths of Kunzite's body and pulled hard. A terrible sucking sound accompanied the object's removal and a torrent of blood followed. Healers eschewed even the presence of a Senshi and forced their way past me to try to staunch the flow once again. My bloody fingers traced over the face of that stone I had removed from the wound and my jaw set in fierce anger. The stone had been split in half by the Moon Sword. I could easily see from the jagged break that flecks of the gem had mingled with Kunzite's blood; the strange, sparkling substance I had witnessed. The stone was a cut, translucent pink gem, multifaceted and in a strange way beautiful. Ami stepped up to my side and glanced at the broken stone.

"Minako was telling the truth!" she gasped. I was surprised to hear that she had even doubted her comrade's words.

"She wasn't trying to kill him." I echoed her, "She was trying to kill _this_."

I remembered again that hateful jade stone that Nephrite habitually carried with him up until the last moment I saw him. My fist closed around the gem and, calling on every ounce of my not inconsiderable strength, I crushed it into powder. Another boulder crashed against the walls of the castle. The healers started, but did not break away from their task.

"The Dark Kingdom must pay for this treachery." I said gravely and Ami only offered her silent agreement with a nod.

We left the room and the fallen Kunzite behind and made our way out into the city proper. Fires had already started thanks to burning projectiles hurled over our battlements. Soldiers hurried through the streets and outside the walls several garrisons had already begun attempting to push the enemy back. Ami and I hurried along the edges of the tenement houses towards the gates, but we stopped near one of the twin watchtowers framing the entrance to the golden city. We climbed up to the walls and when we finally caught sight of the host opposing us my breath was stolen away.

The Dark Kingdom had attacked us only a few short months ago with a youma army that might have numbered five thousand. The swarming black mass of creatures below seemed to stretch to the horizon. Their numbers had swelled exponentially. A cursory estimate placed their strength at well over fifteen thousand spears. I could not believe the sheer number of the horrible creatures. When I looked closer I saw the pitchforks of farmers mingled among the youma, the axes of woodsmen, the pikes of fishermen and the bows of hunters. The people of Elysion had thrown in their lot with the witch-queen and her army of demons.

"How can this be?" Ami voiced her dread at the sight of the endless columns of youma.

"I don't know." I answered truthfully, "But this isn't a war of numbers. There could be a million of them, it wouldn't make a difference."

"I agree." She told me and a smile blessed her lips, "It's time to make our stand."

I took her hand in my, squeezed it firmly, and together we descended to the gate and war.

* * *

Queen Beryl sat upon a roughly hewn wooden throne held aloft by four gigantic youma resembling Minotaur. The siege engines groaned as twisted ropes and counterweights sent huge boulders crashing into the walls of Elysion. The ghoulish hordes of youma stomped the ground and ratted their weapons in furious anticipation. She smiled wickedly and rose from her seat, staff in hand. Two figures approached through the sea of youma. They were clad in gray uniforms with patches of dark iron armor to cover extremities. One wielded a sword and bronze shield while the other, more powerful of build, carried twin cutlasses on his belt and a heavy axe in his hands.

"Are your preparations complete?" Beryl asked enthusiastically.

"Yes, my Queen." Jadeite and Nephrite answered in unison. They glanced at each other, not a glance of affection, brotherly respect, or even animosity, it was just a glance. No emotion passed between them.

"Then send forth your legions." Queen Beryl ordered, "By now Kunzite will have fulfilled his mission. Press the attack until every one of Endymion's soldiers lies dead and we are standing before their Astral Gate."

"The Astral Gate?" they questioned.

"Raise our banner in that room and every desire your hearts can conjure will be yours." Beryl offered a hollow promise in a terribly charismatic way, "The way to the Moon must be secured."

"Yes, majesty." The fallen Shitennou agreed.

"By the time the dark sun rises Metalia will be among us." Beryl prophesied, "With the way to the Moon clear we will wash over Serenity's palace like a dread tide and crush the Silver Alliance under our heel." The queen reclined in her makeshift throne and smiled, "And then we will usher in a new age for humanity across the whole of this solar system and then… the infinite beyond."

"At your command, Queen Beryl." Nephrite said soullessly.

She hesitated, drinking in the delicious anticipation…

"Attack."

* * *

When the gates opened I fully expected the soldiers behind me to turn and run. I would not have blamed them, but the hearts of those still loyal to Endymion were strong and true and no man gave into fear despite the overwhelming force we faced. With Kunzite wounded, Endymion somewhere far behind the lines and my brother Shitennou lost command of the defenses fell to me. My orders were simple: fight to the bitter end, give no quarter, and show no fear.

As we charged out of the gate into the Elysian Fields beyond I caught sight of Ami running at my side. She had supplemented her Senshi attire with numerous armored appointments scavenged from the thinnest, most slightly built soldiers we could find. She wore greaves and bracers of steel and a somewhat rusty breastplate that was slightly too large for her. She needed no weapons, her martial skill and elemental power providing as much offense as she would need. I would have been there leading that army in any case, but having her by my side made me feel ten times the man I was.

We were upon the youma in seconds and the two armies smashed together. Elysian soldiers formed a wall with their shields and conserved their strikes for only those youma that presented an opportunity. The density of the Dark Kingdom's lines meant that every swing of a sword cut into one of the savage beasts. A stack of bodies began piling after only a few minutes of reckless brawling.

Sailor Mercury cast her magic in furious bursts sometimes summoning powerful jets of water to push back groups of youma, sometimes focusing her fury on unlucky single targets which she froze into veritable ice-blue statues which smashed into pieces at the slightest touch. Soldiers fighting near her seemed invigorated and even more confident with a Senshi in their midst and I only wished that the rest of their legendary team were present. I was reminded of Sailor Mars' unacceptable fate and the first youma that came too close to me felt my wrath in full as my hands merely crushed its spiny skull like an overripe tomato.

I heard the blare of trumpets from somewhere behind me, but I could not afford the time it would have taken to look over my shoulder and find the source. The youma were pouring down on us stronger than ever. The shield wall of the soldiers began to buckle as the overwhelming force crashed down against it. Black, barbed arrows began to pepper the rear lines of troops as the Dark Kingdom's arches sent volley after volley over our heads. I ordered a return fire, cringing as I had to place the archers in the range of the enemy's constant barrage. Soldiers fell with each showering of arrows, but we kept up the defense.

"Pour it on them, boys!" I screamed at the archers behind me and swung my sword forward, "Pour it on them!"

"Zoisite!" I heard Ami scream and I immediately spun around to find a towering, ten-foot youma with an axe the size of an ox taking a keen interest in my sword arm.

I switched to a backhand grip on my blade, dodged the axe as it came down and embedded itself in the ground. With speed and agility only a Senshi could match I jumped onto the handle of the axe, ran up the beast's flailing arm and planted the blade of my sword in the top of its skull. The youma grunted and groaned and uselessly tried to claw at me, but I had already jumped clear. Its tremendous bulk pitched to one side and tumbled crushing a half-dozen youma under its terrible weight. I wiped the thing's hideous brains off my sword with its own leathery skin and looked for another victim.

What I found instead was an impossibly moving miracle. The youma of the Dark Kingdom seemed stunned by this new development and their attack slackened. Kunzite had mounted a fine white stallion and rode out into battle. He wore no armor but had his fine white cloak draped about him. The white shirt he wore was new and though the wound at his side was not mended, it was at least not bleeding. His sword was in his hand and his eyes, though looking tired and red, stared out into the seemingly infinite sea of youma with their steel resolve.

"Kunzite!" I gasped at the sight of him. Tears stung my eyes.

"_Men of Elysion!"_ he bellowed louder than I had ever heard before. The force of his voice shook the blade in my hand, _"Drop your shields and take the fight to these cowards and demons!"_

Before the soldiers could even acknowledge the order Kunzite reared his horse back and made a furious leap with the stallion over the front line of Elysion's warriors. The horse trampled three youma where it landed and began kicking and whinnying wildly at the creatures surrounding it. Kunzite's sword became a whirlwind of steel as he alone, unprotected and unsupported began hewing a path through the countless horde. Soldiers openly wept at the sight as shields clattered to the ground and the army surged forward with swords and spears like the fanged maw of a predator ready to devour its prey. I charged along with them as did Ami and soon we were fighting side-by-side with Kunzite whose wound was staining his shirt red with fresh blood, but which had not deterred him in the least.

"Push on!" I screamed to the soldiers all around me, "By Endymion, we'll drive them back to the hells that spawned them!"

We fought hard. The youma were disorganized after such a bold charge. The front lines buckled and even the larger, more seasoned monsters whose thicker armor and broader shields were brought up to oppose us could not withstand our onslaught.

"It has to be close to sunrise!" I shouted eagerly, "With the sun at our backs we'll have the advantage!"

My voice carried to the soldiers who responded with another spectacular surge. The lines had been pushed back far away from the gated walls of the city. Siege engines still tossed their projectiles lazily, but the army's concentration and organization had clearly been broken in the face of our zeal. A retreat seemed all but inevitable. I remember the moment my hope was shattered. I heard the whizz of the arrow as clear as a bell. Out of the swarming mass of youma a stray bolt struck Kunzite in the left shoulder. I watched in awe as he ripped the barbed projectile out of his body without so much as a grimace or a passing glance. Two more arrows struck him in that same moment, however; one in the chest, one dangerously close to the wound he already received from Sailor Venus. He was thrown from his horse and landed hard on his back on the muddy, bloody field. Soldiers lunged forward screaming in revenge and gave me the precious time I needed to slip behind the front line to the Shitennou's side.

"You fool!" I shouted as my knees touched the grimy soil, "What were you thinking riding out here like that? You were the perfect target."

"Zoisite." Kunzite gasped. He was spitting blood between his syllables and his face was turning as white as his legendary mane, "Zoisite…"

"Don't talk." I ordered as the squires arrived to carry the thrice-wounded Shitennou from the field.

"You can't retreat!" Kunzite coughed, "You can't let them!"

"We're not going anywhere, Kunzite." I assured my oldest friend.

"Swear it!" He pleaded. His voice cracked and his body shuddered, "Don't… yield…"

"The sun is rising, Kunzite!" I called out to him as the squires loaded his broken body onto a gurney and spirited him back towards the city.

I stood still watching as the clouds parted above Elysion. Ami rushed to my side, panting and with her armor showing the fatigue of battle. She was covered in mud and the blood of youma as I was. She cast her eyes up at the sky above the city and waited. The edge of the sun appeared. Moment by moment the orb grew larger and I waited, but no warming, blinding rays fell upon the battlefield. The war raged behind us and we, with our backs to it, waited. The sun rose into the sky, but it was no sun that we could recognize. It was not the bright, shining ball of hope that would cast its fury on our enemies. The sun had been robbed of its glow and instead of warming rays it cast wispy shadows over the battlefield that sent the youma into a mythic frenzy.

Shadowy tendrils seeped out of the sun and encircled the city. The earth began to quake as blackness like spilled ink stretched out over the whole land. The walls of Elysion buckled and the youma army surged forward, energized by the black sun. I felt a presence then, a malevolent shapeless dread that seemed to permeate my every fiber and suffocate me like thick smog. Soldiers broke rank and ran only to be devoured by the crushing darkness that had begun to settle over the battlefield.

"Zoisite, what is this?" Ami panicked from beside me. Her elemental powers seemed useless against this new force.

"This is the end." I told her genuinely. This is what Beryl had planned all along. In one fell swoop whatever this thing was that had appeared from the sun would crush us completely.

"We have to regroup! We can't be caught out here in the middle of this." Ami quickly inferred and I agreed despite my hopelessness. We turned towards the city did the only thing we could think to do; we ran for the gates in retreat.

"And where are you going?" a voice that appeared out of thin air in front of me asked.

I stopped in mid-stride, glanced up, and saw the smiling visages of Jadeite and Nephrite, swords drawn, standing between us and the gates. My heart leapt into my throat and my spirit soared upon seeing them again.

"Thank all that's holy you're both still alive!" I cried out in blind joy. I rushed forward to embrace Jadeite, but Ami's strong grip on my arm halted me in my tracks.

"Stay away from them!" she warned and pulled me back. She took a protective stance in front of me and that was when I noticed the difference in my Shitennou companions.

"Jadeite?" I asked breathlessly and turned, "Nephrite? What are you doing?"

"Queen Beryl wants revenge on the one who orchestrated her capture." Jadeite spoke. Nephrite seemed quite content to stand there smiling, wringing his hands on his sword.

"Queen Beryl?" asked and my rationality finally carved a path through sentimentality and I saw the awful, blasphemous truth before me, "You can't mean …"

"This show of defiance is pointless." Jadeite said with a terrible shrug, "Save yourself embarrassment of an impossible fight and just let us strike you down."

"You so much as take a step closer to him and you'll answer to me." Sailor Mercury declared boldly. Jadeite and Nephrite both took one step forward. The Mercurian swallowed her bluff hard, but did not move.

"What has she done to you?" I asked with disbelief and silent rage coursing through me.

"She's given us something to believe in." Jadeite answered, "Something we actually _can_ believe in."

"You believed in our Master your whole lives." I reminded them callously.

"And what did that profit us?" the one-time most exuberant and charismatic Shitennou growled fiendishly and the stone pendants my erstwhile companions wore glowed with a hellish light.

"She's enslaved your minds with those infernal trinkets!" I screamed and lashed out with my blade to sever their hateful jewelry, but my blow was blocked by Jadeite's incredible reflexes.

"Goodbye, old friend." He said casually. Nephrite's axe was already howling towards me.

Sailor Mercury threw her body with as much force as she could muster directly into Nephrite's path, missing the axe by a hair's width. She collided solidly with him and knocked the warrior off his feet. She hit the ground far more gracefully, spun to face me and called out the incantation for her power over mist and vapor. Almost instantly the space we occupied was filled with a thick fog. Jadeite's sword cut through the air just in front of my nose, but I could tell he was swinging blind. I felt another hand grab mine and Ami pulled me back and away as we ran from the confusion.

"Coward!" I heard the unmistakable voice of Nephrite belch from the fog.

I didn't want to hear or see any more. The army was now retreating behind us. Youma were advancing faster than the soldiers could run and they would soon completely overtake our defenses. The gates might as well have been miles away for all the good they were doing us now. Jadeite and Nephrite had sided with Beryl… the ghastly thought would not leave my mind. I felt like breaking down and crying, but still I ran. I ran for nothing. I felt the youma's breath on the back of my neck. I was just waiting for a sword to follow…

A golden light shone above me. For a moment I though the sun had returned, but the black orb still hung low in the sky. The light emanated from the wall above the gates of Elysion. My Master Endymion stood there, flanked by guards, with his royal scepter in his hand. The Golden Crystal pulsed with energy as its light began to drive back the darkness that had descended. Hope flared within me and I suddenly stopped and swung around with Ami's hand in mine to face the army of youma bearing down on us. Soldiers flew past me at full sprint, but the youma army had halted a hundred yards from the city walls. Ami's barrier of fog had dissipated and I saw the forms of Jadeite and Nephrite stalking the edge of youma horde. A call went out for a volley of arrows and the youma responded enthusiastically as a thousand deadly bolts filled the air. They fell straight on top of us, but stopped midway as though gravity had ceased its function. Youma tried to move forward, but were stopped by some unseen force.

"The Golden Crystal." I surmised aloud and cast my glance up at Endymion. His face was drawn into a painful grimace as he invoked the power of the holy stone.

"Why doesn't he use it like he did before?" Ami asked worriedly, "Why doesn't he call on the same power that defeated Thetis?"

I looked out into the sea of youma and my heart fell into my stomach. I remembered what Artemis and I had discovered about those creatures, that they had once been human. These horrid beasts were all that was left of the cities and towns that Beryl subjugated on her march across Elysion. The very life that the Golden Crystal supported was now fighting against it. The sky was black, the sun was black. The Golden Crystal may have been the last source of light in the world and it could barely keep our attackers away from our doorstep.

"Zoisite?" Ami snapped me out of my pondering.

"He can't use it like he did before." I told her having drawn my silent conclusion, "The Golden Crystal is the conduit to the energy of the earth and…" I struggled with the words on my tongue, "I don't think the earth has any more energy to give."

I heard a scream. A dreadful scream that will remain ringing in my ears forever. I looked up too late to see. Endymion had sapped all of his strength and fallen. He fell forward, over the battlements and out of the reach of the guards that tried to catch him. I watched as his armored body tumbled and twisted through the air. I was in motion, but nothing in the universe, not even light itself could have gotten there in time. My Master struck the ground; I heard a terrible cracking noise.

The Golden Crystal flashed brightly at the tip of the scepter, dimmed, and finally disappeared…


	32. Interlude 4

_**NOTE: **I realize at the end of the last chapter I alluded to this being the conclusion of "Sojourn", but there is actually one more chapter coming. This final interlude serves to tie up the framing story of Zoisite relating his tale to Luna. The final epilogue will be up in a few days._**  
**

**INTERLUDE**

Luna's gaze shifted to the black, empty stretch between the arched hallway and the walls of Elysion. Sudden realization dawned across her features and she became visibly apprehensive. When she turned back to her host Zoisite was already standing and inspecting the straps of the sword belt that had been slung around his waist.

"The fight isn't over, is it?" Luna gasped.

"No." Zoisite answered her, "The lingering power of the Golden Crystal is all that is keeping the hordes of the Dark Kingdom at bay."

Luna leapt from her seat and exclaimed, "The Dark Kingdom has been just beyond those walls the whole time we have been here speaking?"

"Correct." Zoisite replied silently subdued, "But not for much longer."

"What do you mean?" Luna asked hurriedly.

"There is no telling how long the barrier the Golden Crystal constructed will last." Zoisite replied factually, "Perhaps minutes, perhaps decades. Only my Master Endymion would know for sure."

"We must go to him at once!" Luna demanded.

"Did you forget, Luna?" Zoisite asked now positively distant, "Endymion fell from the city gates."

"No…" Luna breathed the word fearfully, "Say that he has not passed away."

"He lays now side-by-side with Kunzite." Zoisite answered, "Sailor Mercury herself is lending her power to keep him stable, but the healers cannot say whether either of them will wake again." He glanced towards the walls of the city and the massive army beyond, "Even if they do recover, I cannot imagine what good that would do us."

"Endymion will surely summon the Golden Crystal again and drive the Dark Kingdom back!" Luna hoped.

Zoisite merely shook his head and added, "The Golden Crystal is gone."

"Gone?" Luna asked taken aback, "How can such a thing simply be gone?"

"This darkness, this creeping evil Metalia has spread its tendrils across the globe sapping the life out of every living thing; turning them to stone." Zoisite answered flatly, no emotion laced his words, "The Golden Crystal has lost its light and has faded back into the nether."

"But there are soldiers here still." Luna reminded her Shitennou host, "Your city is well-stocked, your defenses are still strong. Surely you will be able withstand—"

"To what end?" Zoisite shrugged, "Eventually our arrows will be spent, our swords all dulled, and our provisions will run dry. The Dark Kingdom _will_ overrun us. It is only a matter of time."

"All these stories you've told me; all the hopefulness in your tale, why spend the time telling me all of it if you're just going to succumb?" Luna demanded.

"Because the Earth is lost, Luna." Zoisite spoke and laid a hand on her shoulder, "But the Moon and all the worlds beyond it may yet stand against Queen Beryl, my fallen brothers, and that demon from the black sun."

Zoisite produced from somewhere on his person that small, yellowish stone that he had shown her before beginning the tale of his sojourn. He took one of Luna's hands in his own and placed the glittering gem on her palm. With his other hand he closed her fingers tightly over it. She had expected to feel a wash of terrible evil, or some cold static energy that instantly sapped her strength away, but she felt nothing from the stone.

"It's time for you to return to your Queen, Luna." Zoisite spoke fondly, "You must take this to her."

"This?" Luna asked and regarded the small stone with a quizzical glance, "This is one of the very talismans Queen Beryl used to enslave your fellow Shitennou. Why would I risk bringing it anywhere near my Queen?"

"Because this one was intended for _me_." Zoisite told her, "But I will not be so easily swayed in my loyalties, Luna. I will not allow eldritch trinkets and subtle whispers of magic to lead me down into the hell of the Dark Kingdom."

"So why give it to me?"

"So that you can use it, Luna." Zoisite stressed, "Take it back to the Moon. Give it to Queen Serenity. If her power is even a shadow of what we on Earth have recorded in our legends perhaps she can find a way to guard against the will of Metalia. Perhaps …" Zoisite's eyes fell to the floor in desperation, "Perhaps she may find a way to undo the curse on my brothers."

"And what of you, Zoisite?" Luna asked in a hushed, worried tone.

"I must remain here." He gave his resigned answer, "The army looks to me to lead it and I will not abandon Elysion."

Luna hesitated and then offered: "Come with me."

"What?"

"Collect Sailor Mercury, Endymion and Kunzite." Luna spoke quickly, practically slurring her words in haste, "Return with me to the Moon. Queen Serenity will surely grant you sanctuary."

"I am gratified by your offer, Luna." Zoisite said with a heavy sigh, "But as I stated so often in my tale the Earth must stand alone in this conflict. The time for sanctuary, treaties, and the Silver Alliance is over."

"You fool!" Luna snapped at him, "You would risk the safety of the Moon; that of Sailor Mercury herself just to preserve your earthly pride?"

"No." Zoisite answered with a knowing smirk, "Once you return through the astral gates I will rob Queen Beryl of her prize."

"How will you do that?" Luna asked disbelievingly.

"By destroying those very gates." Zoisite stated with cruel satisfaction, "With the way to the Moon forever shut Queen Beryl will be trapped here on a dead planet."

"She would ensure that you suffered for such treachery." Luna needlessly reminded him.

"The Shitennou were born to suffer." Zoisite replied, "We carried the weight of the world on our shoulders for ages. Such a burden pales in comparison to even the most fiendish of tortures."

"And what of the love you've so recently found?" Luna asked, "Will you allow Sailor Mercury to join you in your suffering?"

"Absolutely not." Zoisite spat insulted, "She will return to the Moon with you. I will not have her share my fate."

"If Ami found you worthy enough to open her heart to you then she will not so easily leave you behind." Luna spoke in a melancholy tone, "I have known all the princesses since childhood and I know Ami perhaps best of all. She will not go."

Zoisite smiled. It could have been the last genuine, empathetic smile he might ever have offered, "If that is her wish."

Silence hung in the air between the two for several moments until a stray spark of magical energy rippled through the night air. Zoisite instinctively grabbed Luna and threw her out of the way as a boulder launched by one of the Dark Kingdom's siege engines shattered the section of the hallway where she had been standing.

"The barrier has begun to collapse!" Zoisite shouted and dusted rubble from his uniform, "Quickly, Luna! You must return through the astral gate."

"But…" the guardian hesitated. There still seemed to be so many questions lingering in the air.

"Go!" Zoisite screamed, spun her around by her shoulder and kicked the ironwood door leading into the heart of the palace open in one move, "I'll be right behind you!"

Luna moved forward a step and her legs moved of their own accord. She raced down the hallway and glanced over her shoulder to find Zoisite, sword in hand, running behind her. His eyes were fixed behind them and he watched as boulder after boulder crashed through the walls and toppled columns as they ran. The palace felt as though it were heaving on its foundations and more than once they nearly stumbled as the siege weapons impacted the building with their massive projectiles.

Luna's mind was racing with vivid imagery of Zoisite's long tale. She had no idea where she might even begin relaying so much information to Queen Serenity if she could even make it back to the Moon alive. Thankfully it seemed that the last remaining Shitennou was using every ounce of his power to assure her survival, but even that seemed like a hollow sentiment as the Dark Kingdom pressed its advance. A glance behind her revealed a score of youma beginning to scale up the rubble created by the siege engines. The army began to spill into the golden city and the few soldiers that lined the streets were cut down with barely a fight.

Finally they lurched around a corner. Zoisite placed a hand on the masonry and summoned his strength. The wall and the columns supporting the vaulted ceiling began to crumble as the Shitennou pulled the lunar guardian out of the way. The hallway collapsed on itself and created a barrier out of the rubble. Luna staggered at the display of power and Zoisite simply forced her into a sprint again. The doors of the astral gate room appeared in front of them and before she knew it the Shitennou picked her up by the waist and practically threw her onto the dais between the enchanted arches.

"Zoisite!" she gasped in futility.

"Do not forget what I have told you, Luna!" Zoisite called out to her as the crumbling stone walls of Elysion began to fade in her vision.

Zoisite looked oddly content considering the situation. The Shitennou sheathed his sword, an action that seemed completely contradictory to the war that was actively destroying his city. A thin smile spread across his lips as the Earth faded completely from view and the ever-present star field of the Lunar sky filled her sight. She heard his last words ringing as the cold, sterile air of the Moon wrapped around her.

"_Never _forget."

_**TO BE CONCLUDED . . .**_


	33. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**

The palace was shaking almost non-stop. The walls were pummeled by siege engines and youma were, I was sure, very near to breaking through the last lines of defense. Soon they would pour into the palace en masse and slaughter everything in their path just to get to this room. A heavy boulder crashed very close by and the astral gate shuddered on its foundations. I shook my head in contempt. If the idiots operating the catapults weren't careful they were going to destroy the gate before they had the chance to even use it.

I turned and walked back out into the hallway that connected the astral gate to the rest of the wrecked palace. Several guards rushed past me trying desperately to reach their posts and mount their last, valiant, futile defense. I chuckled to myself at the absurdity of their plight and strolled my way to the great hall where we had so recently treated with the Silver Alliance. The veritable army of healers had dispersed and on the long table there laid two bodies. One was covered with a white cape trimmed on the inside with blue, unmistakably Kunzite. The other was draped in a black velvet cape lined in blood red, my Master Endymion. Sailor Mercury was not present; I could only assume she had decided to rejoin the hopeless fight outside. Only a single healer stood watch over the shrouded bodies.

"I'm sorry, my Lord Zoisite." The healer spoke in a fatigued voice, "We did everything we could, but they have passed on."

"Have they?" I asked. Disappointment lurched its way into my voice.

I approached slowly and laid my hand on the cape covering Kunzite's body. I was about to rip it away to see the corpse for myself, but some lingering amount of honor and duty stayed my hand. Instead I moved to the other side of the table and stood over the shrouded form of Endymion, his broken body obscured by the cloak that he wore almost every day of his life. A small, golden pendant had been laid upon his chest; the Sun Cross of Elysion. _Helios._ My hand sought the hilt of my sword and I pulled it free of its scabbard.

"My Lord?" The healer asked in trepidation, "What are you doing?"

"You say Endymion is dead?" I asked him that familiar rush of battle took hold of me, "Better safe than sorry."

Before the healer could cry out I plunged the blade of my sword down, split the Sun Cross pendant, and pierced the body under the black cape. I felt the satisfying resistance of muscle and bone under my strike and let the blade stand where I had driven it. The healer blanched at the sight and backed away terrified.

"Zoisite!" I heard a soft voice cry out and immediately my heart leapt into my throat.

I spun around to the doorway and saw Sailor Mercury standing there. Her face was white and she was clutching a hand to her chest as though the wind had been taken out of her. Endymion, who stood to her right, wore a similar expression while Kunzite, visibly weakened by his many wounds and struggling to stand wore a scowl of unknowable contempt. I reached down and grabbed the black cape and tore it away from the body I stabbed to reveal a soldier of Elysion whose ashen features revealed he had been dead for quite some time.

"Master…" I spoke with a slight chuckle. There was no point in hiding it now, "A splendid ruse."

"A ruse?" Endymion spat, "No, Zoisite. It is _you_ who have perpetrated a ruse, one of unimaginable cruelty."

"No crueler than the one you yourself perpetrated, _Master_." I hissed the word sourly, "Since the moment that rabbit from the Moon stole your glance away from your people and your kingdom."

"Beryl had you from the start didn't she?" Endymion realized much too late.

"Since before Nephrite." I answered smugly, "Even before you, Kunzite." The wounded, white-haired king grimaced and I felt a tremendous satisfaction in my soul, "There were plans to be laid and wheels to be kept in motion here, but oh Kunzite… how I dearly wished I could have been there to see her _take_ you."

"Zoisite, how _could _you?"Endymion cried out. Sailor Mercury did join him in voice, but the look in her eyes matched the King's sullied, disturbed, defeated alarm.

"Because you would not listen to the good counsel of your Shitennou!" I barked knowing full well the validity of my claim, "All your thoughts were fixed on the Moon Princess. You became complacent and weak to the point that we were all forced to endure the Moon Kingdom and their haughty, one-sided monitoring of every move we made."

"Monitoring?" Endymion balked, "Zoisite, that infernal creature placed these thoughts in your mind. Queen Serenity was our protector for generations; you never voiced any concern of this to me!"

"Because you would not listen!" I screamed, infuriated that he still did not see the plain answer in front of his face, "We were excluded for years from their Silver Alliance; looked down upon as little more than upright beasts. Our isolation strengthened us while the Alliance stagnated. We should never have looked to them for protection and inclusion. We should be standing above the rest of the worlds of this solar system, not seeking to join the rank and file."

"So you would discard your honor as a Shitennou over such petty jealousy" Kunzite rasped heavily. He was pitiful in his wounded state, but croaked out, "Every oath you took to protect and serve Endymion was nothing but a lie."

"You're wrong there, my friend." I told him regretfully, "I served to the best of my ability as we all did." I turned my gaze back on the so-called King of Elysion, "But when the man I am sworn to protect and counsel begins to refuse to listen to reason then what good are the Shitennou?"

"You can't mean that." Ami spoke up after a long silence, "You spoke to me of your loyalty and respect for these men as though it were the most important aspect of your life."

"Ami…" I said and despite the predicament I know found myself in I could not look her in the eye, "Please don't get involved."

"I thought you cared about these people and this kingdom." Ami pleaded tearfully.

"I do." I answered. She couldn't understand.

"I thought you wanted to protect the Earth, not lead it to ruin!" She continued. She moved closer to me despite the protest and flailing arms of Endymion trying to hold her back.

"I do!"

"You're not acting like the man I knew." She said. She was standing right in front of me, leaning in close, "These aren't the words of the man I loved."

"Ami…" I could smell her unmistakable scent beneath the blood, both human and youma that stained her uniform. My mind became clouded. Thoughts raced faster than I could process them. I felt her hand touch mine and a spark in the back of my mind threatened an explosion through my body.

"I thought you loved me." Ami cried.

"I DO!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. There was no lie there.

"Then how could you lie to me?" She pleaded, "How could you do _this_?"

She gestured to the sword that was buried in the chest of the man I thought was Endymion. My vision went red. Rationality was replaced by the deafening chorus of wretched screams and hellish cackles that constantly filled my subconscious. I grabbed Ami by the shoulders despite the armored appointments on her uniform. I could feel her weight in my hands as I lifted her off the ground, but I scarcely knew what I was doing. The world had been replaced by a dark void. I had been in that void in the past and it terrified me. I screamed from the depths of my soul. I called out for Endymion, for Jadeite, Nephrite and Kunzite. I cried out for Ami, desperate that she could hear me…

When my consciousness finally returned I saw her slumped on the ground in front of a column that had cracked in the center. An impression of the Mercurian's body was left in the broken marble pillar. She lay there motionless. My sword had returned to my hand. My heart struggled with my mind, but the ever-present focus offered by Metalia replaced any lingering doubt handily enough. With no other avenues to take I turned my attention on Endymion and Kunzite.

"Zoisite, don't do this." Endymion begged. It was a fitting sound for the impotent King.

My blade answered his protest in an instant. Endymion did not as much as reach for his sword in defense. Somehow I knew it would come to this and I could think of no more appropriate end for the man who betrayed us.

Steel sparked against steel as my sword was halted mere inches from Endymion's throat. Kunzite grunted in pain as he held me at bay and I couldn't help but laugh at how far the mighty King of Ice had fallen. I pulled my sword back and readied myself for the melee.

"You know I will die protecting this man." Kunzite growled bestially.

"Oh yes." I answered his challenge, "I know."

I struck again and the fight was on. I pushed him out into the hallway beyond the door quickly hoping that I might back him into a corner, but despite his wounds Kunzite could still fight reasonably well. He staggered, but parried every attack. I called on the power that Metalia had granted to me to augment my own and battered at Kunzite's defense as hard as I could, but the stubborn Shitennou would not quietly lie down and die.

"The advantage is clearly mine, Kunzite!" I hollered at him through the ring of blade on blade, "You should just resign yourself and let me strike you down. I promise I'll be quick; I owe you that much."

"You should be the one to be struck down!" Kunzite bellowed back, "You've brought our world to ruin by your treachery!"

"Kunzite…" I laughed as we fought, "Queen Beryl found her way into your graces as well. Don't even try to deny it."

"A moment of weakness." He fought back and tried to strike my sword arm; a maneuver I easily dodged, "And Sailor Venus saw fit to free me from that enslavement."

"Yes, that worked out splendidly for you didn't it?" I asked and moved to strike the same wound Minako had dealt him, but Kunzite blocked my blow and unsteadily moved away.

"You don't have to do this, Zoisite!" Kunzite began that tired old routine of denial, "You can still help us thwart Beryl. Mina broke her hold on me; I can do the same for you."

"You were nothing but a puppet, Kunzite." I admonished him, "Your body was all my Queen needed, not your mind. I suffer no curse; I _chose_ this."

Our blows against each other ceased for a moment while I let him drink in my words. He panted and heaved as though he had been trudging for days through a parched desert without rest or water while I, energized by my Dark Lady, hadn't broken a sweat.

"If your words are true, Zoisite…" Kunzite mumbled icily, "Then I truly hope you strike me down."

"Why is that?"

"Because if you allow me the opportunity I will pull your still-beating heart from your chest with my bare hands."

"Ahh." I grinned savoring the hopeless fury in his voice, "In that case…"

I called on a massive amount of power and channeled it into the blade of my sword. With a simple gesture I pointed the tip of the blade at Kunzite and unleashed a torrent of force directly at his chest. Just for a bit of ironic nostalgia I fashioned the raw energy into the form of sakura petals and they fluttered and swarmed in a stream of darkness. Kunzite threw up his arms across his face to block, but my power was overwhelming, not to mention intoxicating. I laughed heartily as the energy I released threw the Shitennou back through the ironwood doors at the end of the hallway. He was thrown off his feet and landed hard on the steps of the astral gate. His hands sought his sword which had been blown across the room, but the once mighty king was now broken and powerless. So powerless that he could not even stand.

"Zoisite, no!" Endymion called as he ran up behind, having watched our duel silently unable to do anything but stand there and gawk like the fool he was.

I leveled my blade at his throat and promised, "Don't be so hasty, Master. I'll get to you next."

"Y- you… coward!" Kunzite coughed pitifully where he lay in the rubble of the astral gate doors. What little clothing he had left was shredded and his body was torn by my sakura.

"These should be fitting last words." I mocked him, "How am I a coward, Kunzite?"

"You let her do this to you!" he forced out painfully.

"I did?" I laughed.

"No Shitennou…" he wheezed trying to spit out his last useless sentence, "No Shitennou would willingly choose this. You were… chosen… because … better than … this."

"Kunzite, just stop." I ordered, "You're pathetic enough as it is. At least die with some dignity."

I knelt down next to him and placed the tip of my sword on his heart. Kunzite's eyes were staring straight into mine. He was not about to leave this world begging for his life or waiting with eyes closed for the surprise blow. He would meet death face-to-face. For as much as I resented him for his blind devotion to Endymion I could respect this. I tightened my grip on my sword and felt steel pierce through flesh.

_My _flesh…

My sword fell out of my hand and harmlessly onto Kunzite's chest. I looked down to see the blade of a sword protruding from my stomach. I recognized the etching on the blade immediately. It was Endymion's sword. For a moment I felt a sense of relief. He had actually done something. The sword pulled back and out and I felt myself falling. I shifted my weight to one side and fell onto the floor next to the astral gate which would soon be swarming with youma on their bloody rampage to the Moon. I looked up to congratulate my Master on his pyrrhic victory.

"Ami!" my voice cried out against my will.

She tossed the blood-stained sword away almost too casually. Endymion stood behind her, silent and resigned. I coughed and tasted metal on the back of my tongue. The wound was at best a minor setback considering the fortitude of the Shitennou, but it was painful nonetheless and my strength gradually ebbed. Breathing became a struggle.

I looked up into her deep blue eyes that betrayed no emotion. I had hoped to see some measure of regret there, but there was none. I hoped, perhaps, she might have shed a tear, but her eyes were dry.

"Are you happy now?" Kunzite croaked from where he lay broken behind me.

"Ami…" I repeated in a softer tone. I still couldn't believe she had done it.

"Don't say my name like it means something to you." She snapped.

"I can't help that." I told her honestly. I was no liar after all, I merely…

"You _deceived _me!" she stole the words from my mind, "Everyone!"

"Deception is the most powerful tool in my arsenal, Ami." I replied with staggered breaths, "It is as elegant and artful as my music and as sharp and deadly as my blade."

"You're despicable!" she screamed at me. Suddenly her emotions were alight and rage burnt through her as hot as Sailor Mars' ever did. I never imagined her anger could boil with such intensity, "You've damned everyone who ever loved you and for what? To lord over an empty, ruined world at the side of a hateful witch like Beryl?"

"No, my sweet Ami, that was never—" she would not allow me to finish.

"Don't say things like that!" she ripped back, "This is all I can do to keep myself from vomiting." She took in several ragged breaths, "I trusted you. I welcomed you into my body _and_ soul." She subconsciously placed a hand near to her inner thigh, "I feel… _stained_."

"Ami." I spoke and my own emotions, despite my newfound focus afforded by Metalia, began to ripple within me, "I never meant to hurt you."

"How can you expect me to believe that after what you've done?" she demanded.

"Because, I …" the words caught on the edge of my lips. I felt a tugging sensation from the back of my mind. A voice amidst the chaos in my head was promising hellish torture should I finish my sentence, but I managed it in spite of the pain, "I love you."

"I _do not_ love _you_."

At those words I felt something crawling inside me, like a centipede slithering up my spine. The chorus of screams and the pall of darkness that usually accompanied every thought were being drowned out. For the briefest of moments I felt… different. I felt like _myself_ again.

"Oh…" it was a pitiful sigh. Somewhere far away, it seemed, a light was dawning, "I'm sorry."

"Don't you _dare_ try to apologize after what you've—" I cut her off before she could continue.

"AMI!" I screamed. Pain was now rippling through me, not the pain of the sword wound, but some other inescapable pressure in my chest, "She… she told me we could be together."

"What?" The senshi of Mercury balked.

"Queen Beryl said... just you and me!" I told her. The pain was now shooting across every extremity. I felt as though my muscles were tearing apart. Out of one eye I even saw Kunzite's start of concern, "My bargain… to … I …" I could barely get the words out, "… to _spare _you!"

"Zoisite, what's wrong with you?" she finally asked and knelt by my side. Apparently my suffering had finally unearthed what little sympathy she could have left for me.

"I wouldn't let her take you!" I stammered as my body wracked itself with tremors so powerful that my limbs began to twist to angles that should have been impossible. I suppressed screams through it all; I couldn't let her see me like this.

"Zoisite!" I heard my name called through the red mist of agony, "Zoisite, hang on!"

A pale blue light was shining above me. I felt curious warmth envelop my body. I assumed that this was the comfortable precursor to the final, waiting embrace of emptiness and death. But I did not die. Indeed I even felt reborn in a way, despite my broken body and the pain in my head and _heart_.

The presence of Metalia receded as my sight returned. I could not halt the tears when I saw the blood-smeared face of the fairytale princess above me who chose the wrong prince.

"Zoisite?" Ami asked. Her voice was soft, concerned, and damn it to every hell known to man… _loving_.

"No." I didn't want to believe the scenes and memories that began to pour down like a furious thunderstorm before my eyes. Betrayal. Deception. Treason. Mutiny. I closed my eyes and denied it as strongly as my will would let me, but it remained. I fought it, but it remained.

"Zoisite, look at me!" I heard Ami plead, but I refused to open my eyes. I could not look upon her for fear that just the sight of me would do her some manner of harm.

"Zoisite!" I heard the voices of Kunzite and Endymion. Endymion… _Master_ Endymion… oh gods, no…

I opened my mouth and the howl that escaped matched all the fury of a volcano and the power of the most terrible hurricanes. I cried, but no tears fell; they were evaporated by the blinding red rage that coursed through me; red as the fires of hell; red as Her hair. That whore-child, witch, gypsy, vile, trickster-Queen.

No word, blasphemy or curse would do justice to my wrath and despair, so I simply allowed my voice to carry long and loud. I hoped that the youma of the Dark Kingdom would hear it and succumb to terror. I hoped that Beryl herself would know the terrible price she would pay now that my mind was again my own. I struggled to stand, to find my sword, and rejoin the fight, but my body would not obey.

"Zoisite…" Ami cried openly. When I finally laid eyes on her again tears were streaming down her face. I looked away… "No! Look at me!"

"Ami, I …" There were no words to express what I felt. Human vocabulary could not illustrate such despair.

"Is it you?" she asked.

Her eyes peered past mine, into my soul; my soul which felt like a black, hateful stain that would never be clean again. She needed no words from my lips; she sensed all to well. She should have thrown my broken body to the ground, picked up the closest blade and pierced my heart. She should have set fire to the room and left me to burn. She should have frozen my heart to ice and shattered it. Instead she just cried. And she kissed. Me, of all things.

Every traitorous act and twisted tale seemed to be nothing to her. The thought of what I'd done turned my stomach, but Ami seemed not to care. I found the strength in one arm to reach up and touch her face. I hesitated, wondering if by some obscene miracle the darkness would return and try to strangle her, but I felt a tear trickle down my finger instead. The tiny fibers of reason that held my tattered heart together snapped. _What have I done…?_

"We… must … move quickly!" I heard the haggard voice of Kunzite from my left side. He had managed despite his wounds to pull himself up again. He had reclaimed his sword and was leaning on it heavily like a cane.

"I'll rally every last man I can find to this room." Endymion strategized, "We will make our final stand here."

"Master!" I cried out and Endymion was at my side in a moment, "Master… listen!"

"Don't talk, Zoisite." He said compassionately. _Compassion for me… damn him!_

"No, Master, listen!" I demanded and grabbed a tuft of his hair with an unyielding grip, "You don't know what I've done!"

"I do know, Zoisite." He assured me with that damned smile that only Endymion could muster, "You don't have to worry about that anymore."

"NO!" I thundered at him, "_Don't _forgive me! You _can't!_"

"You were right, my old friend." Endymion spoke in melancholy, "I should have listened to you from the start. I am sorry."

"No…" I moaned and rocked my head back and forth on the cold stone floor, "No, no, no! You can't be sorry! I won't allow it!"

Every fiber of my being was screaming at me not to do it, but I stood up. My body howled with pain, but I ignored it. I slumped forward and found myself supported around the waist by Ami's tender grasp, but with my hands clutching the silver collar of Endymion's breastplate.

"Go to the Moon, Master!" I begged him, "You must leave this place!"

"I cannot abandon you as I once did, Zoisite." Endymion said to me. He cast his glance to Kunzite, "Nor you, Kunzite. Nor any man, woman, or child on this Earth."

"I don't ask you to abandon us, Master!" I pleaded with him, "I'm asking you to save them!"

My right hand slumped in a clumsy gesture towards Ami, who despite it all stood by my side holding my ruined body upright.

"Just this night an advisor to Queen Serenity came to the palace seeking news of the Dark Kingdom." I spoke in a rush, "I gave her a stone. _My _stone; the very same talisman with which Queen Beryl bound me to Metalia." I swooned and collapsed. Ami, bless her, caught me and I felt myself eased back onto the dais of the astral gate.

"What of this stone, Zoisite?" Endymion asked.

"It was meant to act as a beacon!" I gasped. Without the hateful, yet fortifying power of Metalia coursing through my I had sapped what little strength I had left. The wound in my gut pulsed with pain and stained the floor with fresh blood.

"A beacon?" Kunzite coughed.

"Metalia is a force… nothing more." I explained as succinctly as I could, "She has no will or motive. She simply _is_." I coughed up blood onto the one patch of my uniform that wasn't already stained with the stuff, "Beryl's magic led her to the Earth… that stone will… lead her…"

"To the moon?" Endymion asked. His face went white with worry.

"She's taken everything from us, Master." I whispered to him, "Don't let her take what you love most." I let my gaze drift to Ami despite the fact that I was talking about Princess Serenity.

I heard the sounds of battle closer now. Soldiers were fighting in hallways and being cut down by the unstoppable youma onslaught. Kunzite stumbled to the center of the room and Endymion whirled around to see him pass beyond the ruined doorway.

"Kunzite!" the King called after him, "What are you doing?"

"Go." The eldest Shitennou said and offered only a glance over his shoulder in farewell.

"Kunzite! NO!" Endymion screamed and tried to run after him, but Sailor Mercury caught him by the wrist and held him in place with her unnatural strength.

The silver mane of the last and greatest of the Shitennou disappeared down the length of the hallway and around the corner, out of our sight. The battle was moving closer. I could hear Kunzite's telltale grunts and gravelly battle cries, but soon enough even they were drowned out by the hellish clamor inching closer and closer toward us.

"Master!" I called out. My vision was wavering. Apparently I had greatly misjudged the severity of the wound Ami had dealt me.

"I'm here, Zoisite!" I heard him near and felt his voice reverberating against my skin.

"Go." I echoed Kunzite's last request, "Leave me. Save them." Endymion's silence was more than enough to communicate his thoughts, "Don't argue, Master."

"Zoisite…"

"Save her, Master!" I cried, breaking down the last of my restraint in the process, "Don't throw your life away!"

A moment later I felt hesitant lips on my forehead. The King of Elysion embraced me with strong arms. I could not return the embrace. The strength had left me. I opened my eyes hoping to see and I was rewarded by the hazy image of Endymion, sword in hand, strong of spirit, endless in compassion, disappear.

"It's just you and me." A voice nearby spoke, "Just like we planned."

"Ami…" I cried, "No…"

"I'm not leaving you, Zoisite." She promised. Her hand sought mine, "I won't let it end like this. Not this war, or this horrible night."

We finished the sentence at the same time, "Or _us_."

There was a blur in front of me. I saw two men enter the room followed by a countless number of shapeless evil things. She was there, too. I could barely distinguish her form, but the fire around her head was enough. She said something to Ami, but I couldn't hear clearly anymore. I felt a familiar static near my fingers where Ami still grasped my gloved, bloody hand. The power she wielded over ice began to build in the room. I heard the muddled screams of youma as they were frozen solid. Ami screamed. Someone had struck her, but she persisted. The room shuddered at the release of power. The floor had become a sheet of ice.

Every ounce of energy my body had left to give went into this final act: I opened my eyes and saw clearly. Ami had been pierced by Jadeite's sword and Nephrite's twin cutlasses, but blue energy still poured from her hands and held Queen Beryl at the edge of the doorway. The gate itself had been encased in solid ice and I could see my breath clearly in front of me. The cold, somehow, invigorated me. Ami fell, sprawled on top of me and smiled as she drifted away.

One hand came to rest on Ami's head. The other I clenched into a fist. I heard screams of protest from those men I used to call brothers who someday, gods willing, would be my brothers again. With my dying breath I smote the ground with my fist. I heard the crack of ice and frozen, brittle stone as the astral gate collapsed on top of me.

The last thing I heard was Queen Beryl's enraged cry of defeat and the curse of my name.

I smiled.

And slept.

**TOKYO, PRESENT DAY**

"Wake up."

My eyes opened slowly. The television above was replaying a trailer for a movie I'd never heard of. There were four other people in the room with me looking alternatively bored and frustrated. They fidgeted and grumbled in the uncomfortable blue chairs. I looked down and noticed the magazine I had been reading was on the floor.

"Saitou Izou?" That voice demanded again, "Wake up."

"Oh." I spoke, halfway to a yawn, "I'm sorry."

"That's okay." The nurse said reverting to well-trained kindness, "The doctor will see you now."

Thirty minutes later I was signing the last of my insurance forms while my doctor sang my praises.

"As usual Saitou-san, you're the picture of health." He remarked and flecked a bit of dust off his shining stethoscope, "And considering you never seem to get sick, I assume it'll be another year until I see you again."

"Well you never know." I answered, "I might catch a bug while I'm working in Europe."

"Just stay away from all that chocolate in Switzerland." He warned with a good-natured jab to my abdomen, "I don't want to see you come back with a dozen extra kilos."

"I'll behave." I promised him.

With my hand sore from signing my name on more documents than I cared to count we both exited the examination room into the hospital proper. I know most people don't care for hospitals, but I never found myself bothered by them. I think it's because most people associate hospitals with decline and death, but I have always found them to be places of healing and rejuvenation.

We walked along through the hallway of the pediatric ward that led to the main reception area and suddenly my attention was called to one of the occupied rooms. I saw through the window a young boy, no more than four or five years old lying on a bed, his face half obscured by bandages, his eyes shut tight.

"Who is that boy?" I asked to no one in particular, transfixed at sight of the raven-haired youth.

"Oh, a tragic case indeed." My physician spoke up, "Severe trauma from a terrible auto accident. The poor boy's parents… they didn't survive."

An alarm buzzer rang nearby and blue and red lights began to flash in the hallway. The doctor tensed and checked the time on his watch.

"Forgive me, Saitou-san, but I'm needed." He apologized.

"Of course." I thanked him, "Goodbye, Takeshi."

"Goodbye!" He called after me as he ran towards the emergency rooms, "Good luck in Switzerland!"

With the doctor gone, but the lights still flashing, I quietly slipped into the room where the injured boy lay sleeping. No, not sleeping his chart said… comatose. Such a tragedy for one so young, but still… some familiarity struck me. I read the name on the chart.

"Chiba Mamoru…"

I half expected the child to stir at the sound of his name, but he did not move a muscle. The bandages obscured half of his face, but the one eye that was visible did not flutter or twitch in the least. _I wonder if he's dreaming. _I reached out and brushed a stray strand of glossy black hair away from his face and the shocking déjà vu of the situation made my blood run cold.

"Why do you feel so familiar?" I asked him.

"Excuse me?" a soft voice called from the doorway.

I turned to see another of the hospital staff leaning in through the door. She was a young woman, slight of build, but held herself in a confident, upright posture. Her hair was jet black, but reflected alternate shades of red and blue from the emergency lights flashing in the hallway. The flashes of blue seemed to suit her better.

"Are you related to Mamoru-kun?" she asked revealing her easygoing friendliness immediately.

"Oh… no, I'm…" I glanced back down at the boy and smiled slightly, "A friend of the family."

"Oh…" the woman frowned offered, "I am so sorry for your loss." She sat down on the edge of the bed next to Mamoru and laid her hand on his, "And I feel terribly for this little guy."

"Are you his doctor?" I asked.

"No." She replied shyly, "Just his nurse." A nearly imperceptible smirk accompanied, "For now."

"Well then…" I glanced at her name badge, "Mizuno-san. I'm sure Mamoru is in the best of hands."

"I just fear the day he wakes up to find his world shattered." She said sorrowfully.

"Don't worry." I assured her, "I imagine there is great strength in him. He will be fine."

"You think so?" she asked astonished at the suggestion.

"Absolutely." I assured her.

When she smiled I was struck by that same foreboding sense of familiarity I had with the unconscious boy lying in our midst. That smile was instantly recognizable.

"Mizuno-san, pardon me." I asked hesitantly, "But have we met before?"

"Eh?"

"It's just that you seem…" I tried to find the right word. All I came up with was, "Familiar."

"N-no, I don't believe so." She stuttered. She probably thought I was trying to hit on her.

My eyes took stock of her again. She was young, but just how young I couldn't be sure. Apparently not out of medical school yet, but the lines of stress on her face seemed to make her look much older.

"I hope it's not too bold of me to ask, but…" I collected a breath, "Do you have a daughter?"

"No." She answered with a timid smile, flushed bright red and turned away.

I had embarrassed her. I figured at that point I had overstayed my welcome and, despite my strange gnawing desire to figure out why these two people seemed so terribly familiar I decided to excuse myself. Strangely enough I found the thought that Mizuno didn't have a daughter to be… well… upsetting.

That was when she summoned her courage and said, "At least…" She rested one of her hands on her stomach and offered a loving, nurturing smile, "Not for a few more months."

I offered a satisfied smile in return and asked, "Mizuno-san, could you do me a favor?"

"Of course."

I quickly produced one of my business cards from my pocket and handed it to her with instructions, "Please call me when Mamoru-kun wakes up. I want…" What did I want? I paused and let the words speak themselves, "I want to know that he's safe."

"I will." She promised.

I began to walk away and decided to ask a parting question, "Have you thought of a name yet?"

She seemed visibly flustered again. Despite her empathy and apparent intelligence she was naturally shy, but it suited her. I knew it would suit her daughter as well.

"Ami." She answered.

I let the name ring in my mind for a moment. Her face fell as I stood there lost in my thoughts.

"Is it too old-fashioned?" she worried.

"No." I assured her, "It's perfect."

As I walked out of the hospital my phone began buzzing in my pocket. The display read: "Saitou K."

"What's happening, bro?"

"Are you coming, or aren't you?" the always-irritated voice of my older brother Kenji asked.

"I was just finishing my checkup." I told him, "Clean bill of health."

"The plane leaves in an hour and a half." He grumbled, "I swear, you'll be late to your own funeral."

"Sorry, I spent most of the day lying to my clients about a big business opportunity in Switzerland." I told him, "I don't think they'd take too kindly if I told them I was taking off in the middle of the week to hang out in Zurich and drink beer with the guys."

"Jason's already there." Kenji told me, "And apparently Neil flew into Frankfurt last week, rented a motorcycle, and is driving the Autobahn south."

"Typical." I said and practically shivered with excitement, "It's been so long since we were all together."

"Well if you don't get your ass to the airport soon it might be even longer." Kenji grumbled in his I'm-too-tough-to-say-I-love-you-but-I'm-always-looking-out-for-you sort of way.

"I'll be right there." I promised.

That night I sat near the window on the plane that carried Kenji and I west. He lay uncomfortably with his head on my shoulder snoring. I reflected on Chiba Mamoru, Mizuno, and all that had come before them feeling that somehow that meeting was destined. I made plans to check up on Mamoru's condition as often as possible. I had already transferred funds from my brokerage account to the hospital where he was receiving his treatment. I had no connection to the boy, no connection at all, but I felt that I needed to support him. I felt that I _had_ to protect him.

The plane ascended through the cloud layer and into the clear air above where the moon hung amidst a curtain of stars. I had never taken much notice to the moon before. I took it for granted as I'm sure most people do, but tonight I stopped and stared in awe and wonder. It seemed to be larger than I had ever seen it that night and almost too beautiful to be real. Its pale light shone so brightly that it stung my eyes and tears fell as I smiled.

_**THE END**_


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